Someone To Watch Over Me
by Flightlessbird11
Summary: Edward and Bella meet and start a friendship one summer. They're in Forks after college and med school and both are soon moving to Seattle. Edward is in an accident, will his near death experience be enough to finally ask Bella out? All Human. Lemons!
1. Prologue

**Okay, so this is my first fan fic, and I thought I would start off with a bit of a cliffhanger prologue deal. Let me know what you think, and if I suck and all that jazz. I am posting this along with the first chapter because the prologue is short. I'm planning on having at least one song in each chapter, and all the chapter titles will either be song titles or lyrics. I will create a playlist, and post the songs on my profile.**

**Special thanks to hopelessromantic09 for supporting my story before she's even read it! LOL**

**Enjoy!!!**

***I don't own Twilight, but I do own a shirt that says 'La Push cliff diving Team'***

**BPOV**

The wind blowing on my face while I sat on the sailboat was the most relaxing thing I had felt since Edward visited me at work on Tuesday. I smiled at the thought of him. He'd come to visit me almost every day that I was working at Gourmet for the past week. Everything about him intrigued me, his voice, his smile, his laugh, his eyes, everything. Three visits, and all that had occurred between us so far was small talk. It was beginning to make me anxious because I didn't think he was interested in me romantically, but at the same time I wondered why he kept coming back to visit me. That is what I intended to ponder on this boat trip with Alice and Jasper. He would probably think I'm crazy if he ever knew that I thought about him like that. Then again, I probably am crazy.

Edward's best friend, Jasper had asked Alice if she wanted to go sailing with him on his father's sailboat. He'd come into the pizzeria on the day after Edward's first visit, while she was on her shift. They'd hit it off just like I thought they would. Just like Alice hoped, and this was their first official date. He suggested that I come along since I was Alice's best friend and later Alice agreed because she thought that the two of them may need a buffer incase things got awkward. Of course, a half an hour into the trip and it was like I wasn't even there.

We were sailing down at La Push, and Alice was lucky she got me to come, since Jake lived down there. But I would do anything for Alice, and she would do anything for me. Luckily there were no sightings of Jacob. I don't think I could have stopped Alice from punching his lights out if we had run into him, anyway.

Jasper's cell phone rang. He laughed and said, "No way, Cullen!" and my eyes brightened a little at the mention of Edward's surname. Then I rationalized that Jasper might be talking to Emmett, and with my luck he probably was. Alice and I looked at each other curiously, both wondering what was going on.

"Hey," Alice whispered to me, "maybe your Mr. Studmuffin is here. Aren't you glad I dragged you on this trip now?" she finished with a small laugh while covering her mouth with her tiny hand. Her pixie-like haircut ruffled slightly in the wind, at the same time that my long ponytail whipped around my body, hitting me in the face. "Oh! Do you think I can do your makeup? Please, Bella?" she looked at me with her best puppy dog eyes, but there was no way I was getting mauled by Alice today.

"Oh god, Alice. We don't even know if Jasper is talking to Edward. It's probably just Emmett, and there is no way I am letting you attack my face simply because there is a chance I might see Edward," I said with a sigh. I usually tried to protect myself by not getting my hopes up, because I knew the second I let my guard down, I would get hurt.

Alice's bottom lip popped out into a pout at my refusal. "Fine Bella, but when he finally asks you out, you won't be able to stop me," she said while rubbing her hands together like an evil villain.

A few minutes later, we were interrupted when Jasper hung up his cell phone and told us that Emmett, Rosalie and Edward had spotted our boat a few hundred feet away. We all looked around and soon we spotted Emmett, Rosalie and Edward on another sailboat about a hundred and fifty feet away from us. Their boat was sailing towards ours. It was Emmett who had called out to Jasper. A huge smile came across my face as soon as I saw Edward.

"Having a lot more fun than your sorry ass!" yelled Jasper as I saw Edward wave to me. I waved back tentatively. This awkwardness had to stop. I felt like a seventeen year-old girl waving to a boy she liked, not a twenty-two year-old woman. It was getting a little ridiculous.

"Well why don't you get your ass over here!"

Jasper simply rolled his eyes and turned around so he could steer the boat closer to where Edward, Emmett and Rosalie were. I did an inner happy dance knowing that I would be close to him soon as Alice nudged me in the arm, somehow knowing what I was thinking.

Just as Jasper was about to start steering the boat, there was a loud explosion. All three of us turned at the exact same time, to find that Edward's boat had exploded. The explosion wasn't big enough to destroy the entire boat, but it was easy to see that half of the boat was up in flames.

"Oh my god!" yelled Alice, while Jasper and I were both too shocked to say anything. This was the first moment in my entire life that I was actually grateful that I had finally taken the lifeguard training that Charlie had been trying to get me to do ever since I was seventeen. I immediately dove into the water and started swimming towards the boat.

I didn't hear anything from Alice or Jasper behind me, not that any words from them would have stopped me.

I swam for what felt like hours, until I finally reached the boat that was now on fire. At a closer look, it was easier to see that the explosion hadn't been huge, but it was enough that the three people were no longer on the boat. I didn't see whether they all had jumped off, or if the force of the explosion threw them off.

"Edward? Emmett? Rosalie?" I kept repeating their names. Nothing. I kept calling until my throat was sore. Finally, I saw Emmett and Rosalie appear from behind the boat holding onto each other tightly. I was mostly relieved that they were okay, but I was still utterly terrified that Edward had not been so lucky.

"Where's Edward?" I cried. I began searching frantically around me for any sign of movement.

"I don't know, we looked everywhere but we didn't see him, but Rose hit her head pretty bad," said Emmett.

I froze for a moment as I heard a faint splashing a few feet from me. I soon got my act together, and began swimming towards the noise. To my complete relief, and simultaneous horror, I saw Edward. Though he was no longer moving, and quickly sinking below the surface. I began to swim faster and faster, hoping that I wasn't too late to save him.

When I finally reached him, I grabbed him and called his name, "Edward! Edward!" With no response, I just turned around and began swimming towards Jasper's boat, which I could see was already headed in my direction.

His weight felt like nothing because of the adrenaline that was coursing through my body. All I could focus on was getting to the boat. When I finally got to it, Jasper and Alice both helped me get Edward onto it, followed closely by Rosalie and Emmett. As soon as I was on that boat, I was kneeling in front of Edward calling his name, praying that he would answer me on his own. I soon realized that he wasn't going to wake up, and I would have to do CPR.

"Edward! Wake up!" I kept shouting as I began to pump my hands on top of his chest, taking his face in my hands. I put my lips on his and began to breathe for him. I kept repeating the steps, over and over again. _1…2…3…4…5_. Breathe.

"Edward, please!" I cried. All I could say was his name. There was nothing in the world that could have stopped me from what I was doing. I would wake him up if it killed me.

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**Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!!**


	2. Looking Through a Glass Onion

**Okay, here's the first official chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed the prologue, and there's a teeny bit of suspense at the end of tis chapter, but have no fear the next chapter will most likely be up tomorrow.**

***I don't own Twilight, all rights belong to Stephenie Meyer*  


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**BPOV**

One forty-five. _Time to head to work_, I thought wryly to myself as I got off of my bed. Summer had just started, and I would be heading to graduate school in the fall, and all that I had to look forward to this summer was a weekly paycheck from Gourmet Pizza, the local pizza place in Forks. The only pizza place in Forks. Fantastic. I had just finished my fourth year at the University of Washington, and I was living back home with my parents for the summer while I looked at apartments.

My mother, Renee was a stay at home mom, and I enjoyed every second of it during my childhood. She and I were very close my entire life, and even though I went away to school, we were as close as ever. My father, Charlie was the police chief of the Forks Police Department, which most of the time, considering the small size of Forks, consisted of five men playing cards all day long. My father was a big goofball, but always seemed to pull off the "of you hurt my daughter I will shoot you" act rather well when it came to my past boyfriends. It was somewhat of a relief to be back home, but I also felt a little bit down graded from the freedom I had while I was at school. No news there. I love my parents, don't get me wrong, but I am twenty-two, and I want to be out on my own already.

I had been working on getting a degree in English Education at UW and was going there for graduate school as well for my master's. I was relieved that Jacob, my ex, was not attending UW for graduate school. He was lucky he even graduated from UW. Bumping into him on a regular basis after our messy break up two months ago was definitely not what I needed for next year. It would be hard enough avoiding him in Forks while we were both home for the summer.

Jake and I had a great relationship. We were in love – well at least I thought he loved me. Walking into his off-campus apartment and finding him having sex with his tutor definitely disproved that fact in my opinion. Although he tried to get me back, and he said that he still loved me, I didn't care. Cheating was not okay in my book. How can you cheat on someone you really love? The thought is impossible in my mind, and so I told him to stay the hell out of my life. I was twenty-two and about to graduate college, why did I need a boyfriend anyway? Jake broke my heart, and I swore to never let anyone treat me the way he did, ever again.

My best friend, Alice Brandon also worked at Gourmet Pizza. She had applied there when we got home from school because she figured it would allow for maximum best friend time since we were going to different graduate schools. She was going to NYU, three thousand miles away from UW. Her shift didn't start until about four today, so I would have to drive myself. She usually picked me up on days when our shifts started at the same time, which was pretty often.

Thanks to traffic, and partly because of my rusty old truck, which I actually loved despite the face that it was ancient, I arrived at Gourmet about ten minutes late. Of course Mike, my manager didn't say a word to me. He reminded me of a golden retriever who was so anxious for a treat that he couldn't stop wagging his tail. He was one of my good friends, except I definitely did not return the feelings that I suspected he had for me, and that sometimes made the work situation difficult.

"Hey Bella!" he shouted as I walked in. I nodded at him and went to the hangers to put on my apron.

"Sorry I'm late Mike. There was so much traffic today. Damn people and their beach trips." Oh, how I wished I could have taken a trip down to La Push without having to worry about running into Jake. It was early June and sunny, which was extremely rare for Forks.

"Don't worry about it Bella. You can handle the register and the oven until Alice gets here? It shouldn't start to pick up until later, so she'll be able to help you with all of the orders."

"Yeah that's fine Mike," I said with a smile as I shook my head. I had been working there every summer for three years; I could do this stuff with one hand tied behind my back. Of course that probably wasn't the best idea since I couldn't even walk on my own two feet most of the time without tripping. The first couple of hours of work were no picnic, to say the least.

I let out my hundredth sigh of frustration of the afternoon as the button of the cash register jammed, yet again. The owners of Gourmet really needed to update their system. In the past two hours I had spilled two drinks on myself and dropped a slice of pizza on my feet. Curse my decision to wear flip-flops today. Of course having a bitchy customer standing behind me didn't help my situation at all. I mean, seriously, since when was it okay to pay for anything while you're standing _behind_ the cash register? I should really talk to Mike about getting a counter that goes from one wall to the next.

"Okay, the five dollars is right there," said the blonde woman who was wearing a spaghetti-strap dress that was way too short, as she pointed down towards the counter and looked at the bill expectantly while she sipped on her water bottle. _What, do you want to see me do a magic trick with it or something?_ She had just finished her rant about how none of our pizza selections were satisfying any of her cravings, and yet she decided to pick out a slice of pizza that had pretty much every topping known to man on it.

I held in another exasperated sigh as I took the bill off of the counter, and rolled my eyes as I turned around to put the five-dollar bill in the register. The bitchy customer's slice of pizza was probably warm by now, but hey, a few more minutes and it might just burn her tongue enough so she can't insult anything else today. I made my way over to the oven and took out her slice of pizza, not wanting an unnecessary legal matter on my hands. I would definitely not put that past this woman. She seemed like the type that would sue because she put a slice of pizza in her mouth that was too hot.

As if her rant about the pizza and the fact that she was still standing behind me weren't enough, she decided to be a little bit melodramatic and making it creative by adding her choice of colorful expletives, dropping an f-bomb about how much she hated the song that was playing in the restaurant. I loved this song. It was 'Hello Goodbye' by the Beatles. Seriously, if you don't like the Beatles, there is something the matter with your soul.

"Have a nice day," I said through clenched teeth, and immediately regretted saying it. I really need to work on being too polite. _Three thirty. Come on, Alice. _

About twenty minutes after Bitchy McBitch left, everything that happened earlier in my afternoon was about to look really good. That's when he walked in.

Out of the corner of my eye all I could see was a head of messy bronze hair walk in. I turned, and that's when I saw him. He looked about my age, maybe a few years older, he wasn't slight or muscular, but somewhere perfectly in between. He looked significantly taller than me, about six feet. He was also the most beautiful man that I had ever seen in my entire life. Realizing that I was gaping, I quickly straightened my posture, and realized that there were two other men with him. One had curly brown hair, and my bronze-haired mystery man definitely looked slight next to him, because man did this guy have some muscles on him. The other was shorter than bronzy and curly, and had a nice head of blonde hair. He looked like someone Alice might be interested in, I thought to myself.

"Oh, man am I hungry!" yelled Curly as soon as they approached the counter. I actually found it quite funny instead of annoying.

"Chill, Emmett. I don't think Gourmet is going to run out of pizza until you start eating anyway. Didn't you want to wait for Rosaile?" laughed the bronze-haired mystery man, while the blonde-haired man stood behind him. His laugh reminded me of sweet music.

"Oh come on. She's always late anyway, I'm sure I can get away with two or three slices before she gets here." As if to emphasize his point, his stomach made a rumbling noise, causing me to giggle along with his friends.

"What can I get you this afternoon?" I asked once my giggle had subsided, mostly. I looked over at my mystery man, and noticed that he was looking at me as well. I immediately thought that I must have some pizza sauce on my face or something equally embarrassing. Great.

"How much for all the pizza in there?" laughed Blondie as he pointed to the glass where all the pizza that was already made was sitting.

"Shut up, Jasper!" Emmett said as he mock punched Jasper in the shoulder. "I guess we'll wait for Rose. Thanks anyway. We'll be back, trust me." He said to me with a huff as they walked away from the counter and took a seat in a booth towards the back of the restaurant. I nodded at him as the left and thankfully I could still see the mop of bronze hair from where I was once they sat down. I was trying my best not to ogle, but I'm fairly positive that I failed.

About ten minutes later, I noticed a beautiful blonde woman walk in, and Emmett immediately looked up from his seat. "ROSIE!" he shouted at her, and she smiled as soon as she saw him, then walked over to their table and sat down. As soon as she gave him a big kiss, they walked over to the counter hand-in-hand, leaving Jasper, and my mystery man, whose name I still didn't know, behind them. I noticed him tapping his hands on the table as 'Glass Onion' by the Beatles filled the room. Apparently it was a day for the Beatles, which of course I was not complaining about. _Thank god someone has good taste in music._ I laughed as soon as the song came on, because I felt like I was watching him through a glass onion. Whatever the hell that means.

I noticed that he was very quiet, but seemed to flow very well with the rest of his friends. They all must have known each other for a long time. He laughed with them, and I wished I had been closer so that I could hear his laugh. Every time I saw his smile, I marveled over how beautiful it was. He only looked over at me once, probably because he could sense my shameful stare, but never looked over at me again after that. In the one moment where our gazes locked, it seemed like we were the only two people in the entire restaurant, until I began to worry about my mental health and broke his gaze. After a few moments, I began to wonder if he was just a figure of my imagination, because I couldn't see how anyone could appear to be so perfect. Shrugging that thought off, I made myself feel better by telling myself that he was probably another dirt bag like Jake. However I was definitely not fooling myself, because every time I looked in his direction, he was smiling, and my knees started to shake.

"See, I told you I'd be back," he said once they approached the counter. "Two pies, one with pepperoni, and once with nothing, please," he continued in a friendly tone as Rosaile just rolled her eyes at him, but still smiling. I have to admit, I was a bit jealous of their relationship, even though I didn't know them. But I could tell that they just…got each other.

"Sure, it will be about twenty minutes," I answered him as I took the twenty-dollar bill he handed to me. They waited at the counter while I started to prepare their pizzas, as Alice walked in the door.

"Hey, Al," I said as she got behind the counter.

"Hey Bella! Sorry I'm a few minutes late, Mike!" I looked down at my watch and saw that it was already four-twenty.

"That's the third time this week, Brandon, I'm docking your pay!" said Mike from the back room.

Alice and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes as we both giggled. "He is so in love with you, Bella. He never docks your pay when you're late."

"Hey, I can't help it if you spend all of your time in front of the mirror, making you late all the time," I said with a laugh as I continued spreading the sauce over the pizza dough. I spilled some of it on the floor as I was working with it.

"Shoot," I said to myself as I decided to leave it until I was done, because I was sure to make more of a mess before I was finished. I finished both pizzas, and decided to take them both to the oven at the same time, that was my second mistake. My first mistake was not cleaning up that damn pizza sauce from the floor.

As soon as I turned around with both pizzas in my hand, I took one step and slipped on the sauce that I had forgotten about. My feet flew out from under me, and both pizzas went flying into the air as I landed on my ass. The pizzas were not far behind me, one landing next to me, and the other landing with a 'plop' right onto my lap. I groaned and looked up, only to find Alice looking down at me with a remorseful expression on her face, and then I looked over at the counter, to see Emmett and Rosalie simply staring at me blankly. I became even more mortified as I looked a little bit past them, and noticed that they were no longer standing alone. My bronze-haired mystery man was standing right next to them, looking at me with the same remorseful, helpless expression that Alice had on her face.

I was completely mortified. Why didn't I just clean up that damn pizza sauce? I stood up, wiping all of the sauce off of my lap that I could. I got back down onto the floor and started to clean up when Alice said, "Don't worry about it Bella, I'll finish out here, go get cleaned up."

"Thanks, Alice."

I practically ran into the bathroom, too afraid to look at the three people who I had to run past in order to get there. Whoever my mystery man was probably thought I was a complete idiot. I closed the bathroom door, grabbed some paper towels, and was actually grateful that I decided to wear black capris today. However, my white shirt wasn't thanking me so much.

A few minutes later, Alice knocked on the door. "Bella? Are you okay?"

I got up and went to the door and opened it for her. "Yeah, Al I'm fine. It just takes forever to get this sauce off," I said with a laugh. "Klutz Swan strikes again. You would think I would have grown out of this by now."

"Bella, you just simply wouldn't be you if you weren't a klutz," she said as I narrowed my eyes at her. Damn pixie.

"Yeah, yeah." I said as we walked back out to the restaurant where Mike was currently helping someone. "Mike I'm so sorry, it won't happen again."

"It's fine Bella. It happens."

"Thanks."

I took over for him at the register after he put his customer's pizza in the oven. I looked towards the back of the restaurant, relieved that my mystery man had left, along with everyone else he was with. The rest of the night, thankfully, went by without any further accidents.

As we were helping Mike close, Alice mentioned something that I had been trying to forget all afternoon. "So, that blonde guy that was with the couple whose pizzas you oh so gracefully decided to wear, wasn't he gorgeous?"

I let out a laugh, because I knew Alice all too well. I knew Jasper was her type. "Yeah, actually before that whole mortifying incident, I was thinking that he looked like someone you would go for," I said with a laugh.

"I hope he comes in again, he was so dreamy!" I rolled my eyes at her, and gave her a hug before she left. I stayed behind for a few extra minutes to make sure Mike had everything under control to close by himself. Thankfully, he did because I was so ready to go home and change into pizza sauce-free clothing.

I walked out of the restaurant, and cursed my decision-making abilities once again, because as soon as I began walking to my car, I bumped into someone.

I looked up, and to my complete horror, I was standing into a pair of bright green eyes that belonged to none other than my mystery man.

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**Thanks for reading! I love me some reviews! We'll get Edward's POV in the next chapter mwahahaha!**


	3. I Will Possess Your Heart

**Okay, so this is basically just the EPOV of the events from the last chapter, with a little extra at the end *wink* I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter, and I promise not to go into such excruciating detail from both POVs in every chapter, just for significant events.**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, coldplaywhore, hopelessromantic09 and JillMH especially. You guys rock!**

**Enjoy, and Review!!!!**

***I definitely do not own Twilight, but I do have a creepy Twilight poster where Rob and Kristen's faces are extraordinarily huge, hanging on my wall right now*

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**EPOV**

Finally. I felt like my life was going in the right direction. I had just finished medical school, and was moving back to my hometown, in Forks, Washington to start working with my father at the hospital there. After breaking up with my girlfriend of two years, Tanya, I felt like my life was finally falling into place. It wasn't really a messy spilt. I mean, we had been dating for a while, and we just grew apart. She was never exactly the girl I had always pictured myself with, so we ended it. I had been contemplating breaking up with her for a few weeks, so I was more than a little bit relieved when she took it so well. I think we both felt the same way about it.

I had been home for a few weeks, and I was trying to remember what summer in Forks was like, because I hadn't been home for the summer since my sophomore year of college. I had studied abroad for four years in a row, and this year was my turn to enter the real world. I was going with my brother, Emmett and my best friend, Jasper for a slice of pizza before we headed to the beach. We were meeting Rosalie, Emmett's girlfriend of four years, so we would have to wait to order our pizza until she got there. That always made Emmett anxious because she was always late, and he was always hungry.

Jasper drove over to my parent's house, where Emmett and I currently lived until we found apartments of our own. I didn't mind, our parents, Carlisle and Esme were great. I was close to both of them, and so was Emmett. We all got into my Volvo and headed over to Gourmet pizza, the local pizza joint in Forks. The only pizza joint in Forks.

I tapped on the steering wheel and sang along as 'Renegade' by the Styx filled the confines of my car. I parked the car and we all hopped out. My mouth was already watering. This was the first time we had been to Gourmet since I had been home, and even though it was the only pizza place in Forks, I still think they had the best pizza within a five hundred-mile radius.

We walked into the restaurant, and it was exactly how I remembered it. Small and quaint, the typical small town place. I looked over to the counter, and that's when I saw her.

She was beautiful. She had the most gorgeous long brown hair that almost reached her waist, and probably would have passed it had it not been confined to a curly ponytail. She was smiling as she handed someone a slice of pizza, and all three of us walked over so that Emmett could stare at the selections of pizza that he very well knew he wasn't going to get to eat right away. But, Emmett will be Emmett I thought to myself as I rolled my eyes and heard Emmett yell, "Oh, man am I hungry!"

"Chill, Emmett. I don't think Gourmet is going to run out of pizza until you start eating anyway. Didn't you want to wait for Rosaile?" I said to him with a laugh, looking over at the brown-haired beauty standing not four feet away from me. She was too pre-occupied with giggling at Emmett to notice I had glanced at her.

"Oh come on. She's always late anyway, I'm sure I can get away with two or three slices before she gets here," bellowed Emmett, and I managed not to roll my eyes at him again, because it was the same every time Rosalie met us somewhere. Then of course his stomach decided to speak for itself, and we all laughed, including the beautiful creature standing behind the counter. Her laugh was like music to my ears.

"What can I get you this afternoon?" she asked, and she looked at me as her eyes widened slightly, which seemed a little peculiar to me. She was probably wondering why I was staring at her.

This time Jasper chimed in, "How much for all the pizza in there?" he said with a laugh as he pointed to all of the pizza behind the glass.

"Shut up, Jasper! I guess we'll wait for Rose. Thanks anyway. We'll be back, trust me," Emmett said as he punched Jasper in the shoulder. We walked to the back of the restaurant and found a booth to sit in while we waited for Rosalie. Thankfully she arrived about ten minutes after we sat down, and of course Emmett was himself and shouted her name as soon as he looked up and saw her. She made her way over to the booth, sat down and gave Emmett a nauseating kiss before they got up, holding hands, and walked back over to the counter where the brown-haired beauty was standing.

As 'Glass Onion' by the Beatles filled the restaurant, I began tapping my hands on the table, as I thought how tapping my hands must be a habit from playing the piano. I chanced a glance over at her, and she was tapping her feet along to the song. _It looks like she has good taste in music,_ I thought to myself.

I sat there, trying desperately not to stare at her, but probably failing miserably. We looked at each other for one brief moment, and the music and Jasper all seemed to have disappeared as I looked into her eyes. I couldn't tell what color they were from my seat, but I was determined to get close enough to find out. I got up and walked over to Emmett and Rosalie, in hopes that I could actually speak to her.

Just as I was approaching the counter, I heard what sounded like pans banging together. I turned towards the counter and realized that the beautiful girl was gone. I glanced down behind the counter quickly, to discover that she had dropped both pizzas she had been carrying, and one of them was now sitting in her lap. Her face was flushed a dark shade of red. The restaurant became silent, and all of a sudden she stood up, looking humiliated, and I immediately felt bad for her. She disappeared underneath the counter, when the small black-haired girl that had walked in a few minutes earlier, bent down with her. She whispered something to the brown-haired beauty, who stood up and ran to the back of the restaurant.

The small dark-haired girl cleaned up whatever mess there was and began making new pizzas. I thought about how I was partially disappointed that the brown-haired girl had left, and partially relieved, because I didn't think I actually had the guts to talk to her.

About twenty minutes later Emmett, Rosalie and I were back at our booth and I was eating a delicious slice of pizza. Something about it was different though; it didn't taste the same as it usually did. I must be loosing my mind.

We left the restaurant about a half an hour later, after Emmett choked down an entire pie by himself. I had hoped to get one more look at whoever the beautiful girl was, but we left before she came back out into the restaurant. I made a note to myself to come back here soon and hopefully talk to her. Not that she would be interested.

A few hours later, I was sitting at home when I realized I hadn't checked my cell phone since I had been at the restaurant. I searched for it everywhere, and I went out to the Volvo and checked in there. Nothing. _Crap._ I must have left it there. I checked my watch. It was 9:49, if I hurried, I could make it there before they closed. I pulled into the parking lot, just as 'I Will Possess Your Heart' by Death Cab for Cutie finished playing. I got out of my car and made my way to the door of Gourmet Pizza. I looked down for one second to make sure they hadn't already closed, it was 9:57, I had three minutes. Before I even looked up, I ended up running into something. Someone. I looked down, because whoever I bumped into was definitely shorter than me, and realized that it was my brown-haired beauty.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going," she said as she immediately started to blush. After a few moments of gaping, I realized that I hadn't spoken to her yet.

"Oh. Don't worry about it, it was my fault, I wasn't paying any attention," I managed to blurt out when I realized that I had a pretty firm grip on her body. I instantly let go of her once I realized this. I decided that the quickest way to get my cell phone back was to introduce myself, since we couldn't really get anywhere with ourselves before that, and plus, I just really wanted to know her name.

"I'm Edward Cullen, by the way. I remember you from earlier in the evening," I mentally cringed at what I had just said. Lame. I looked at her and she was staring at me blankly for a moment, I was hoping she would help me out and tell me her name so I could stop wondering what it was. That reminded me. I glanced down at her once more. Brown. Her eyes were brown.

She shook her head slightly and said "Bella Swan." I smiled, hopefully not too much. Bella. Yes, she definitely was. I held out my hand to her, so we could shake hands, before I noticed that when she touched me there was some kind of electricity that she emitted. I knew she felt it too, because as soon as her hand touched mine, she immediately pulled away. She furrowed her brow for a second, and she must have decided that I hadn't hurt her, so we tried the hand-shaking thing again. I felt the same strange electricity as before, but this time I could feel it long enough to realize that it didn't hurt. It actually felt good.

"I was actually hoping to get here before you closed, I left my cell phone here earlier," I said a little too quickly and I hoped she didn't think I was a moron.

"Oh. Yeah Mike is still in there, I'll go in there and let him know," she said as the small grin that she had on her face fell slightly. She began walking back towards the pizzeria, and I shamelessly stared at her as she walked away.

I waited for a few moments before Bella came back outside, and shouted, "See you on Thursday, Mike!" As she started walking towards me I saw that she was holding my cell phone. _My heroine_, I thought to myself as she handed it back to me. God, why had I never thought this corny before? "Thanks," I told her. I wanted to see this girl again, and not just while she was at work, but somewhere where I could get a sense of who she is. I was too much in shock from seeing her here tonight to ask her out, and plus she would probably think I was some creeper if I said anything to her now. I made a decision to come visit her the next time she was at work, and then I would ask her out. I knew that if I didn't, I would spend the entire summer wondering what would have happened if I did.

"Not a problem. Just be glad that you came back tonight, before Alice got a hold of it and started dissecting your entire life," she said with a small laugh.

I laughed along with her and added, "Well, when you put it that way I'm glad too. Although, seeing you again was definitely a bonus." _Oh, great what the hell did I just say?_

She blushed, and then her angelic expression became a little bit angry when she said, "Well excuse me if I can't manage to carry a couple of pizzas to the oven without creating a complete disaster! I'm glad you remember me as the girl who fell on her ass."

I was completely taken-aback by what she had just said. I had completely forgotten that she fell earlier today. "What?" I asked, a little dumbfounded.

"Weren't you going to marvel my uncanny ability to make an air show out of a couple of uncooked pizzas?" she looked more horrified now than angry.

"Actually, no. I didn't even remember that little incident, until you so colorfully reminded me just now," I said with a chuckle.

"Oh," was all she said. Then we just stared at each other for what seemed like hours. I didn't know what to say to her, she seemed unlike any other girl I had ever met. _What the hell, Cullen? You don't even know this girl._ I decided that it was time for me to go before she thought that I was a serial rapist.

"Well, I'd better get going," I said regretfully as I began to turn towards my Volvo.

"Yeah, me too," she said quickly as we both nodded towards each other and headed towards our cars.

"Hey Bella?" I said to her before she was too far away from me. I thought this might be my only chance.

"Yes, Edward?" she said as she gave me a questioning look.

"Maybe I'll see you on Thursday?" _Brace yourself, Edward,_ I thought as I prepared for the yelling.

After a few silent moments she spoke up, "Maybe you will… around five."

I gave her a big smile, which she returned, and then I continued towards my car. I drove home the happiest I had been in weeks.


	4. Summer Was Painted on Our Skin

**Here is chapter number three! Thank you to everyone for the story favorites/alerts and author alerts. Now all you guys have to do is REVIEW! I'm getting plenty of story alerts so I know that you guys must like it, now tell me why you like it! Tell me you hate it, heck give me music recs, anything. Speaking of the music, I wasn't able to get a youtube video for 'Weeping Willow' by The Hush Sound because of copyright, so I added the lyrics so you guys get the reference about Edward's lips LOL. If anyone wants to hear the song I have it and would be happy to send it to you!**

**Thanks so much to coldplaywhore for recommending my story! To everyone who reviewed, and of course to Lauren, aka ****KlutzyGoldfish,**** my new unofficial beta!**

**Enjoy!!!**

***Unfortunately, Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, not me, but I do own every season of Gilmore Girls on DVD***

**BPOV**

When I first looked up and saw that I had bumped into my bron- _green-eyed_ mystery man, I was mortified. I was momentarily pacified when he introduced himself right away. Edward, that was his name. It was a bit old-fashioned, but I liked it. It suited him. When he said that he remembered me from earlier, I immediately froze and thought back to my embarrassing incident with the pizzas. Of course he remembered that, you would have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to remember _that._ I realized that I'd been in my own head a little longer than completely necessary, so I shook my head in attempt to clear it. It must have worked, because a few seconds later I heard my name escape my lips. Okay, so maybe my head wasn't completely clear, but at least I could speak.

The strange part was when we shook hands. When his hand touched mine, I felt the strangest electric spark course through my own hand. It shocked me so much that I immediately had to pull my hand back towards my body, before I realized that it wasn't a static shock. It didn't hurt. It was almost like a constantly flowing surge of electric energy that coursed through my entire body. _Okay, enough Bella, it's just a handshake. _

I was a little bit let down when he mentioned that he returned to the restaurant to retrieve his cell phone. I mentally slapped myself at the deluded thought that he had actually come back just to see me. Hah.

Then he mentioned that seeing me again was a bonus to getting his cell phone back, after I'd joked with him about Alice getting her grimy little hands on it. I wasn't lying to him when I said that she would have looked through it if she'd found it. Then he smiled, and I instantly, and perhaps irrationally, thought that he was referring to my incident. I kind of snapped. Well, more than kind of, I completely yelled at him. When he explained that he was not at all referring to the fact that I had fallen on my ass earlier, I was more than a little embarrassed. The running away should start any second now, and I wasn't sure if I was talking about him running from me, or the other way around.

You could always count on me to make a situation awkward, because a few minutes of downright staring at each other, Edward finally told me that he had to leave, and to be honest so did I. I was desperate to get out of my sauce-stained clothes. As we both headed in opposite directions, something happened that completely turned my day around. Edward called back to me.

"Hey Bella?" _oh god, now what?_

"Yes, Edward?" I replied, a little surprised that I used his name in response to him using mine. But I kind of liked the sound of it coming from my mouth. I had to admit, I definitely liked the sound of my name coming from his lips…oh, his lips…

I was brought back from my semi-stupor over his luscious lips by his next words, "Maybe I'll see you on Thursday?" he asked. I had no idea how the hell to react to that statement. What the hell did that even mean anyway? He must have heard me yell back to Mike that I would see him on Thursday, but wow was that unexpected. Why would he want to see me anyway? Then I realized that I would have to play along, because the thought of seeing him again made me smile a little inside.

"Maybe you will," I said. "Around five," I added to make sure he knew what time he actually would see me if he showed up. He smiled at me, and I smiled back before we both turned away from each other to continue towards our cars. I sat in the driver's seat of my rusty old truck and closed my eyes. Wow. I allowed myself a tiny mental happy dance before I started the truck and headed home.

When I walked into my house, Renee and Charlie were both passed out on the couch, so I woke them up and sent them to bed. I walked into my room and put on The Hush Sound. Their music always seemed to sooth my mood. When 'Weeping Willow' came on through the speakers, I was briefly reminded of how I was somewhat mesmerized by Edward's lips earlier. _Snap out of it, Bella._ I honestly didn't know why he had that effect on me.

_The snow won't stick to the weeping willows _

_The cold air won't blow open the windows _

_You've made it through the storm this far _

_You can do this, dear, it won't be hard _

_The snow won't stick to the weeping willows _

_There will be tomorrow _

_The sun will light a sea of sorrow _

_Tonight it set and took our friend _

_If I could do one thing, I'd bring him back _

_Snow won't stick to the weeping willows _

_Summer was painted on our skin _

_And those secrets hidden in our childish lips _

_They would die for a kiss _

_Fall was always left in your eyes _

_Just a fleck of yellow light _

_Like the sunrise _

_Like the twilight _

I fell asleep to the music that night, and surprisingly it was dreamless.

The next day Alice and I both had off, so of course she had something planned for us to do. I cringed at the thought of what an Alice-planned day could potentially do to me.

"Come on, Bella. We're going shopping in Portland today," she said as she walked into my room. I hadn't even gotten dressed yet, but then again it was only ten-thirty in the morning. You could always count on Alice to be shining as brightly as a fairy this early.

"Ugh, Alice! Didn't you just drag me on one of your shopping excursions last week?" I asked her in frustration. The phrase "shop till you drop" immediately came into my head.

"Yes, but that was in _Seattle_. Today we're going to _Portland._ Gosh Bella, can't you see the difference?" at that I had to laugh. Of course she would think shopping in two different cities was something like shopping in two different countries.

"Whatever Alice. I'll go shower and then we can leave," I said as I got up to grab a towel that was hanging on the back of my bedroom door. While I was in the shower, my thoughts drifted to Edward and what he'd said the night before. I had to smile when I thought of him. Why did he want to visit me at work? I guess I'd have to wait until tomorrow to find out.

After I'd gotten out of the shower, I suffered one scowl from Alice at my wardrobe choice for the day. With that I promptly threatened to stay home if she didn't like what I was wearing, so she instantly relented and we were on our way.

That had been one of Alice's worst shopping sprees to date. Victoria's Secret was the worst. It was the only place where she forced anything upon me, besides Forever 21, but it was enough. I walked out of the store with four bra and panty sets that were way too sexy just to wear under normal circumstances every day, and one 'convertible dress.' Whatever the hell that was. Apparently there were like twenty different ways you could wear it. Not that I would be able to figure out how to do that without getting stuck, tangled or injured in the process. I would probably never even wear it. As for the bras and panties, I asked her why the hell I needed them, and all she replied with was "you never know," she said with a small smirk. _What was she psychic or something?_

Exhausted from shopping, I passed out early that night, almost completely forgetting that tomorrow was Thursday, the day Edward said 'maybe he'd see me.' Cryptic jerk.

I woke up early the next morning because I had gone to sleep so early the night before. I was anxious as soon as I woke up, and I was laughing at myself the entire day for feeling that way when I had no idea what to expect.

While I was getting ready to put my clothes on for work, I stood at my closet briefly deciding what to wear, and thinking of Edward. _Oh. My. God. What the hell?_ I thought, and immediately slammed the closet door and just put on whatever I had laying out that I would have worn anyway.

I walked into Gourmet, on time today, and glanced around. Good, no Edward. Maybe he wasn't even going to come. About two hours into my shift, I was accident-free, and had completely forgotten about Edward's supposed visit because it had been so busy ever since I got there. I was glad it had been busy too, because Alice wasn't working with me tonight, and I hated spending time alone with Mike without a buffer.

Then, all of a sudden I looked up and he was there. Just sitting at a table tapping his fingers on it, and looking dare I say, anxious? What the hell was he anxious about anyway?

He must have sensed my stare, because a few moments later, he met my gaze and smiled. He got up from his seat and walked over to me.

"Hey Bella," he said coolly.

"Hey Edward. Can I get you anything?" well duh, Bella. He walked into a pizzeria, what do you think he wants?

He looked a little like he was taken off guard by my question, but he answered a moment later, "Uh, sure. Can I just get a plain slice?"

"No problem," I answered back with my usually customer-friendly smile. This one was different though, partly because it was Edward, and partly because he wasn't a customer who was annoying the crap out of me, so it didn't say 'piss off.' I grabbed a slice of plain pizza from behind the glass and put it in the oven. He reached behind him to pull out his wallet.

"Oh. Don't worry about it," I said while waving my hands in front of myself. I don't know why, but the vibe that he set when he walked over to me told me that I shouldn't let him pay. I had a feeling that he wasn't just here for the pizza, not that he actually gave me any hints to that since he'd first spoken to me.

"Oh okay. Thanks," he said, a bit surprised, but he smiled nonetheless. "So, Bella…" he trailed off.

"Yes?" I asked after a moment since he'd paused.

"I was wondering…do you…like Jason Mraz?" a brief flash of frustration crossed his face as he said this, but I chose to ignore it, for now. Right now I was just confused.

"What?"

"The song," he pointed up towards the speakers on the ceiling, "you were tapping your feet so I thought maybe you liked him or something," he finished quickly. Had I been tapping my feet? Heck, I didn't even realize that Jason Mraz was playing on the radio, but a closer listen told me that 'I'm Yours' was playing. Not one of my favorites, but I loved it nonetheless.

"Oh, yeah. I love him. You'd have to be a complete jerk not to like Jason Mraz," ugh I always let my strong opinions about music get away with me.

Edward laughed, "Yeah, you would wouldn't you? He's great."

When his pizza was ready, I got it out of the oven and handed it to him. He thanked me and walked back to his seat to eat by himself. Now why should he have to eat all by himself, I wondered.

"Mike, I'm taking my twenty!" I shouted towards the back room. I grabbed a slice of pizza from the glass, not even really looking at what kind I'd chosen and walked over to where Edward was sitting. I didn't even warm up the slice because to be honest, I kind of liked cold pizza. I sat down across from him without a word, and it wasn't awkward or anything, it was a comfortable silence. Then he spoke.

"Okay. Are you up for a game?" he asked. I didn't know what he meant, but hey as long as he was talking to me and not staring at me wondering why I sat down at his table, I would go with it.

"Um, sure. Why not?"

"Alright. How long is your break?"

I glanced down at my cell phone and it'd been five minutes since I sat down. "Fifteen minutes."

"Good. Okay I'm going to start off with a genre of either music or movies, and you have to say the first movie, song or band that comes into your head, then we'll switch."

Well that's interesting, but I was curious as to what his taste in music and movies was. "Okay, I'm game," I replied.

"Alright…let's see…comedy," he said.

That was easy. Alice and I had just watched _Get Smart_ after our shopping adventure of horror. "Get Smart."

"Interesting. I definitely like Steve Carell," he said.

"Oh, me too. He's hilarious!" I replied.

"Okay, Rock," he said.

"Hmm…oh I don't know. I can't pick, hang on. Kings of Leon!" I blurted out. They weren't really my favorite or anything, even though they're awesome.

"Kings of Leon? Seriously?" he said, sounding surprised.

"Um, yes? They're great. Well at least I think so."

"No, you're totally right, they are great. I just didn't expect you to like them, that's all," I was a little offended that he was assuming what kind of music I liked, but I'll just have to teach him.

"Did you know why they are called 'Kings of Leon?" I asked him.

"No actually I don't"

"They are all brothers, and their father's name is Leon, so they called themselves the Kings of Leon."

"Hah. I like that. You have much knowledge," he replied, sounding a little surprised that I actually knew that, which was my plan.

"Okay, now it's my turn," I began, "hmm…okay I'm just going to compare my taste with yours. Comedy."

"Snakes on a Plane."

"Snakes on a Plane? That's not a comedy!" I said to him. I cringed at the thought. I hated snakes, why on earth did he say Snakes on Freakin' Planes?

"I know it's not _supposed_ to be one, but it was so bad that my brother Emmett and I couldn't stop laughing the entire time," he laughed. I joined him when he said that because that movie really did look bad.

"Okay now, Rock."

"That's easy. The Beatles, you can't beat the Beatles," he said, and I smiled.

"I love the Beatles! You definitely can't beat them. People just don't know good music anymore; I mean I have my guilty pleasures, but seriously. I was a little terrified when Mariah Carey beat Elvis' record of number one hits last year," I said with a small chuckle.

"Wow. I never thought I would find another person as angry as I was about that."

"I know. There is something wrong with this world," I said with a hint of sarcasm as I shook my head in mock remorse. We talked for a few more minutes, until I realized that my fifteen minutes was up.

**EPOV**

When I arrived at Gourmet, I was thankful that Bella hadn't noticed me walk in, so I had a chance to bail if I lost the nerve. I got there a little after seven, so I wouldn't appear eager, or like a stalker. I'd planned to ask her out, but the moment I tried, I completely chickened out. I was so angry with myself, and I'm not sure if I hid it well. When I considered the fact that I couldn't actually ask her out on a date, I decided that I at least had to talk to her. I was relieved that the hard part was done for me when Bella sat down across from me, choosing to take her lunch break with me. I smiled at the fact. Then I came up with probably the lamest game ever thought up, but I was relieved that Bella played along. I really just wanted to know what kind of stuff she liked.

I had to laugh when Bella mentioned the Mariah Carey episode. Emmett and Jasper always made fun of me for being so angry when that happened, but Mariah Carey seriously had nothing on Elvis Presley.

Then after a few moments of casual talking, Bella had to get back to work. "Yeah, I'd better be going too. I start my shift at the hospital at eight," I said.

"The hospital?" she asked, sounding a bit surprised, "are you a doctor?"

I smiled at her curiosity. "Why yes ma'am, I am," I replied stupidly. I was still kind of overly proud to tell people I was in fact a doctor since I had just finished medical school.

"Well then I guess I know who to ask for the next time I find myself in the ER, which considering the last time I was there, should be soon," Bella said with a laugh. I didn't exactly find it funny that she thought of herself as so accident-prone. "Wait. Hold the phone," she began as she raised her hand in front of her body, "your last name is Cullen? Are you related to Carlisle?"

Oh no. She _was_ accident-prone. She knew my father from the hospital? "Um, yes. He's my father. Why do you know him?" _Please say no, please say no._

"Yes, I do actually. He usually takes care of me when I go to the emergency room. He and I have a running joke where he always tells me that he hopes he never sees me again."

At that I had to laugh, because that sounded just like Carlisle.

"Bella?" interrupted someone. Bella and I both turned around to see that Mike had called her name, and he needed her to get back to work. He actually looked apologetic for interrupting our conversation, but then he saw me and his expression turned three shades of anger. _Whoa man, jealous much?_ It didn't appear that he had any rightful claim on her. Although I was now struggling not to think that my musical soul mate was mine, as if I had a rightful claim on her. Not that Bella was just someone that ought to be claimed like property.

"Coming Mike!" she told him as she turned back to face me. "Sorry, Edward. I guess I'll see you around?" I smiled at her leading question.

"I think that can be arranged," I said with a smile. Then I decided to make it interesting, "but _when_ you see me, that is for me to know and you to find out," I said as I walked from the restaurant and into the parking lot. I didn't even look back to see Bella's reaction to what I'd said.

I drove home with a huge smile on my face. When I walked into the house, it seemed quiet until I saw Emmett in the kitchen, stuffing his face as per usual.

"Hey man," Emmett said with a mouthful of whatever the hell kind of sandwich he was eating.

"Dude, is it that hard to keep your mouth closed while you're eating? You're grossing me out over here," I said.

In response, Emmett opened his mouth wide, revealing all the food that was in his mouth. I grimaced but just rolled my eyes at him without responding.

"What's with the shit-eating grin?" he asked. I was surprised that Emmett of all people noticed my smile. Heck, I'd even forgotten I was smiling.

"It's nothing. I was just at Gourmet and I… had a really good slice of pizza," I blurted out. Actually, as I thought about it for a second, I realized that the pizza I had was fucking delicious. I hadn't really noticed at the time because I had been too preoccupied by Bella. I didn't need to tell him that I was happy because of Bella, because I didn't think I would hear the end of it.

Emmett just looked at me quizzically, "uh huh," he said in a shorted voice. I clearly didn't fool him, but he knew me better than to question me further about it.

I glanced down at my watch and saw that I only had twenty-five minutes to change and head down to the hospital. "I gotta run to work man," I told him. He nodded at me and I ran upstairs to get changed.

When I got in my car, I spotted my Kings of Leon CD, and of course I thought of Bella and the fact that she liked them. I smiled as I put it in my car's CD player and 'Closer' came through the speakers. I kept smiling the entire ride to the hospital. I took a moment to compose myself before heading in, because anyone who saw me would probably think to send me upstairs to the psych ward. I laughed at the thought and walked into the hospital.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please review! **


	5. Eyes

**Okay, folks. Here is chapter number four, and I think I need to pull out my secret weapon to get you guys to review. Anyone who reviews this chapter, will be ensured a sneak peek into the next one!! *****wink wink***** how's that for motivation?**

**Thank you to KlutzyGoldfish, my oh so reliable beta! You all should go check out her story, 'New Beginnings' I am the beta for that story and she deserves props for it, so go head over there.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I hope you all enjoy! Oh and don't forget to check out my profile for links to the songs that I reference in every chapter, most of the songs I pick are relevant to the story, or to what the character who is listening to it is feeling. If that makes any sense LOL.**

***I don't own Twilight, but I do have a new found love for Joshua Radin. Thanks coldplaywhore! LOL***

**EPOV**

I walked into the hospital a few minutes late due to my little episode in the car. The receptionist at the desk greeted me, "Good evening Dr. Cullen," she said as she batted her eyes at me. Ugh. She was always shamelessly flirting with me, and I definitely had no interest

I nodded at her and responded, "Good evening Jessica. Have you seen Carlisle?" I asked her, trying to ignore her spastic eyelashes.

"Not for a while, I think he's with a patient," she replied. I simply nodded my head at her again and headed over to the ER. The nurse behind the desk was in the middle of filling out a form with a patient, so I just passed her and grabbed a chart. There was a kid with a suspected broken wrist in room 307, so I headed over to read the x-rays.

The next few hours of my shift passed by rather quietly, well as quiet as a night in the emergency room can be. I'd seen Carlisle a couple of times in passing, but this was the first time I'd had a chance to have a conversation as I walked into the break room, desperately needing a cup of coffee, and saw him there.

"Hello Edward," he said to me. "How's your night so far? I remember my first few years as an ER doctor were certainly no picnic," he said to me with a chuckle.

"Tonight's not too bad, I mean how slow can a night at the ER be? I feel like it's a bad omen or something," I said. Carlisle just laughed at me. Then I remembered something that I wanted to talk to him about.

"Hey dad?"

"Yes son?"

"Do you know a woman named Bella Swan?" I asked, and regretted saying the words right away, because I didn't want him reading too much into my questions.

"Yes I do. Unfortunately she gets herself into quite a lot of predicaments and I see her here quite often, why do you ask?" he asked me, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, no reason really. She works over at Gourmet pizzeria, and I've seen here there the last couple times I've eaten there, and we got to talking and when I told her my last name she told me she knew you," I stated truthfully, and trying not to smile as I spoke of Bella.

"I wish I knew her under different circumstances. She's a very charming young woman," he told me. Yes, she is charming. And beautiful, and funny, and she's got great taste in music…

The beeping coffee pot broke into my thoughts of Bella. I got up and poured myself a cup, drinking it black and chugging it down in an effort to get back out to the emergency room quickly.

Six hours, about three hundred stitches, and three newly casted legs and arms later, I was finally back in my Volvo and headed back home. I was beyond exhausted. It was five o'clock in the morning and I needed sleep. I laughed when the remix of 'A Little Less Conversation' by Elvis Presley came on the radio. Granted I loved the King, and Mariah definitely had nothing on him, but it was five in the morning. Definitely not doing Elvis when I was this tired.

I walked into the house, stripped down to my boxers and flopped onto my bed. I was dead to the world for ten glorious hours. That is until I woke up to a couple of loonies screaming at each other like they were already married.

I got out of bed and headed downstairs, into the living room where I found Emmett and Rosalie in the middle of a heated discussion, likely over something trivial. Emmett probably called her Farah Fawcett again.

"It was a _simple_ request, Emmett!" screamed Rosalie. "Pick up my dress from the drycleaners because I have to work late! How hard is that to remember?"

"Aw, come on Rosie!"

"Don't 'come on Rosie' me! Now I have to pick up the dress after work and before we go out tomorrow night!"

"Well I'm sorry if you think I'm a big stupid idiot who can't remember to tie his shoes!" yelled Emmett. _Cue Rosalie in 3,2,1…_

"Oh, Emmett. You know I can't stay mad at you when you say ridiculous crap like that. I'm sorry I yelled at you. It's really no big deal," she said as she smiled and walked over to him and gave him a big sloppy kiss.

"I love you, Rose. I'm sorry I'm such a big fat idiot sometimes," he replied as she continued to kiss him. Okay, this was getting to be too much for my stomach so soon after I'd woken up. I cleared my throat, and both of them turned to look at me.

"Morning sunshine!" Emmett said to me sarcastically, "or should I say afternoon. You sure can sleep bro."

"Well when you're running around the emergency room for nine hours you have my permission to sleep in," I replied as I rolled my eyes at him. I walked into the kitchen to grab something to eat, when I realized something.

I'd told Bella the night before that she wouldn't know when she saw me next, but I would. I was such a fucking idiot, how was I supposed to find out her work schedule? I mulled over this fact for a few moments until I came across my cell phone, which held a missed call from Jasper._ Light bulb_.

Jasper. I knew he was my best friend for some reason. I flipped open the cell phone and called his number.

"Hey, Edward. What's goin' on?" he asked.

"Not much dude. I was actually wondering if you could do me a favor."

"Well my friend, that would depend on what this favor entails," he replied, sounding a little weary. I wished he could see me roll my eyes at him.

"Remember that little black-haired girl that you couldn't shut your mouth about the other day when we had pizza at Gourmet?" I asked, knowing that now there was no way he would be able to refuse my request.

I could practically hear his smile when he replied, "Yeah, I do. Why?"

"Well she's working there again this afternoon, and I was wondering if you could kill two birds with one stone and ask her out or something, and I need you to find something out for me," I told him, knowing that any moment I was going to have to explain my situation with Bella. I was honestly just guessing that Alice would be working, since Bella wasn't, and no one seemed to mention anyone else working there.

"Hmm. I think I'd be up to that, man. What do you need to know?"

"I need to know when that other girl, Bella is working next week. I told her I'd see her again, but I never found out when she would be there, and I don't have her phone number or anything. Plus I don't want to seem like a complete stalker, walking around and looking for her and asking everyone when she'll be there," I said with a nervous chuckle Please let that be enough Jazz.

"Deal. I'll head over there in like a half hour, and then I'll stop by your place later to relay the info," he said.

"Sounds like a plan. Thanks, man. I don't want this girl to think I'm stalking her or some shit."

"Dude, I'm pretty sure that I'm getting more out of this than you are, so don't even," he replied as I laughed a little on the inside. Jasper definitely did not know Bella if he thought he was getting more out of this than I was.

"Okay, whatever you say Jazz. I'll see you later." He hung up and I finished making my sandwich. Now all I had to do was wait for him to deliver his information and I could start planning how I would ask Bella out.

About two and a half hours later, Jasper finally decided to grace me with his presence.

"Hey, Jazz," I greeted him as I answered the door.

"Hey man. I got that information you were asking for," he said to me with a wink, as if he were talking about drugs or something. I simply rolled my eyes at him in response. I just wanted to know.

"Dude, we're alone, you can stop talking like a drug dealer."

"Okay then. She's working Monday at five, Wednesday at four, and Thursday at five," he told me. Now I could finally begin planning my surprise attack.

"Thanks Jazz."

"Sure thing. I talked to Alice for a while, that's her name. The dark-haired girl you used to bribe me with," he said with a chuckle. Now that I had what I wanted, I could actually listen to Jasper. Not that I didn't want to listen to him before, it's just that when it came to Bella, my mind didn't exactly have room for other thoughts.

"Nice," I began. I really was interested in what happened with this girl. Jazz was my best friend after all. We met our first year at Dartmouth, and we kind of just understood each other enough to tolerate each other. Without trying to sound like he's my best gal-pal, we sort of just clicked.

"I think I really like her. I'm not trying to get all mushy over here," he began while waving his arms in front of himself. "I just don't know how to describe it," he said with a shrug.

"I'm glad for you man. So what'd you guys talk about for nearly two hours?"

"Anything. Nothing really specific, but I did ask her out. We're gonna go out next week." Of course Jazz just bit the bullet and asked her out. Why couldn't I just do that with Bella? What was it about her that was making me so nervous? I'd never had this much trouble asking out a girl I was interested in. There was something different about this girl.

"So, are we still on for apartment hunting on Tuesday?" he asked me. I had completely forgotten that we made plans to look for an apartment in Seattle. We had a meeting with a real estate agent.

"Yeah. I just have to call the real estate agent and confirm where we'll be meeting her," I told him. Jazz just smiled, and I knew that smile. I couldn't decide if it was my imagination, the fact that he was so happy he asked Alice out, or if he was hiding something from me about meeting the real estate agent. I just shrugged it off, and told Jasper that I had another late shift at the hospital tonight and if I didn't want to be a dead man walking again that I'd better get some sleep.

**BPOV**

_Eyes._

_I was staring into a pair of the most brilliant pair of emerald green eyes I had ever seen. Every time I saw those eyes, it was like nothing else in the world existed._

_Edward and I were slow dancing in my living room. At least I think it was my living room, nothing else but Edward seemed to be in focus. Our fingers were intertwined, and they rested on Edward's chest between our bodies, while Edward's hand rested on the small of my back, and mine on his. I didn't hear any music, but that was not stopping us. We were barely even moving, because the only thing in the entire world that existed was him and me._

_He leaned in and closed his eyes. I knew what was coming, and I wanted it too much to care. I closed my eyes and a moment later, I felt his lips on mine. It was the slowest, most intimate kiss that I had ever experienced._

_We just stayed like that for what seemed like hours. Kissing slowly, but surely. I think we even stopped moving, I didn't know. There was no heat of the moment passion, no fierceness in the way his lips moved with mine. It was just him and me, and nothing else even mattered. _

_He pulled away, a little too soon for my liking, my head moving forward as his moved back, trying to keep contact with his lips for as long as possible. I opened my eyes, and I saw them again. _Those eyes._ They captivated me, hypnotized me, I would have agreed to anything he asked as long as I was staring into his eyes._

"_I love you, Isabella," he said, and I froze._

I shot up from my sleeping position in my bed. Had I really just been dreaming about Edward Cullen's eyes?

Then I had the realization that the best kiss I'd ever had was only in my dreams. He'd said the most terrifying words that I could have imagined coming from his lips.

He said he loved me. I shuddered at the thought. Jake told me that he loved me all the time when we were dating. I'd believed it every time, except once. When he told me he loved me as he was trying to get me back, after he'd slept with his tutor. Ever since that moment, those three words have made me cringe, because I didn't know if I could ever believe another man who said that to me.

After I stopped cringing at my memories of Jake, I began to wonder why I had been dreaming about Edward Cullen, and why he would say he loved me. I shouldn't worry though, because Edward would never say that to me anyway. I wasn't even sure if I could call him my friend.

I got out of bed and took a shower. It was juts after six in the morning, and I didn't have work today, and neither did Alice, so we planned a meeting with a real estate agent to show us some apartments in Seattle. It was a three-hour drive, so we were hoping to arrive around ten.

"Hey Bella!" squealed the little pixie girl, in her bright yellow Porsche as I waited on my front porch. She loved being the only girl - well the only person for that matter - in Forks who owned a car that ostentatious. Her parents were totally loaded and she loved every second of it. No one could ever call her spoiled or selfish though, she was just Alice, fun, quirky, and always willing to do anything for someone she loved. I laughed and hopped into the front seat beside her.

"So where are we meeting this real estate agent? And why did you cancel our meeting on Saturday? I wanted to enjoy my Tuesday off," I asked her, a little bit confused as to why we couldn't have done this on Saturday. When I asked her the first time, she mumbled something that I couldn't quite make out, but it sounded an awful lot like 'panties in a twist,' but I just shrugged it off and figured that she had a good reason.

"Relax Bella. You'll get more out of this meeting than you would have if we met with Eileen on Saturday, trust me," she said with a wink. _What the hell is she winking about?_

"Um, okay. Whatever you say Al."

I turned on the radio and searched through the channels, searching for something decent. There was nothing. Finally I just decided to play whatever CD Alice had on. I froze just as 'Eyes' by Rogue Wave came on. Then I completely laughed out loud, and just completely dismissed Alice when she asked me what was so funny. I couldn't even begin to explain it to her until I could explain it to myself.

We arrived in downtown Seattle at an apartment building where Alice said Eileen would meet us. I don't know why she insisted on making all the arrangements, when we were searching for my future apartment. We saw a middle-aged woman who was standing in front of the building talking on her cell phone. Hello, Eileen.

She promptly hung up the phone and greeted us. "You must be Bella?" she asked me, she already knew Alice because she helped her acquire an apartment that she would be living in while she was in New York.

"Yes, that's me. It's a pleasure to meet you, Eileen," I said to her as she shook my hand.

"Alright then, should we head up?" she asked. Alice and I both nodded at her and all three of us turned to walk into the building. As we walked into the lobby, I was momentarily distracted by what looked like a couple in the middle of a heated argument. I was looking at them when I bumped into something. This was becoming a really bad habit. I looked up, and _oh no, not again._

"Edward?" I asked, looking into his deep green eyes, which of course brought me back to my dream this morning. What the hell was he doing here?

"Bella? What are you doing here?" he asked, obviously just as confused as I was.

"Um, searching for an apartment so I am not homeless when I go to school in the fall?" I said, and it came out as a question as I tried to calm myself down.

"No shit, so am I. Jazz here and I were looking for something for me, I've been offered a job at the hospital in the city." He pointed to Jasper, who I recognized from the afternoon at Gourmet when I'd first seen Edward. "Jasper Whitlock," he said as he offered me his hand, which I shook as I told him my name.

"Wow, Edward. That's great," I said, feeling like a complete moron. Then I realized something.

Oh my god. Alice knew about this. That's why she canceled our meeting on Saturday. She met Jasper on Friday. She'd told me about his visit to the pizzeria on Saturday morning when she told me our meeting was rescheduled. I couldn't decide if this was because Alice wanted to make goo-goo eyes with Jasper, or if it was because she knew I wanted to see Edward. He didn't come into the pizzeria on Monday, and she knew my mood was off, so I had explained the whole thing to her, with the exception of the rather embarrassing dream from this morning. Not wanting to freak out in front of Edward, I simply smiled at him and turned away to face Alice. I would be sure to ask her about this later.

"Okay Al, let's go see this apartment." She just stared at me. It was a stare that said 'oh hell no, you're not getting away that easy.'

Jasper intervened then. "Well, we were just going to look at 206," he told us. My day just kept getting worse.

"Well, isn't that a coincidence, so are we!" Alice said as she practically bounced up and down. She was so paying for this. Eileen, looking relieved that we were finally ready to look at the apartment, led all four of us to the elevator. Apparently, jasper and Edward were checking out a few places downtown as well, and they had been waiting for their own real estate agent to arrive when we'd shown up.

Jasper and Alice formed their own little subgroup, leaving me and Edward to stare at each other awkwardly. Great.

"So, erm…Bella," he began as I looked up to face him. "Why do you need an apartment for the fall?" he asked. Well, that wasn't such a bad question. "I'm going to UW for graduate school," I told him truthfully.

"Oh, nice. What are you going for?"

"My master's in Secondary Education," I said, feeling a bit more comfortable now that the air was clear of almost all the awkwardness.

Our conversation ended as the elevator stopped on the second floor and we all got out.

Eileen led us to the apartment door, and we walked in to a decent-sized, one-bedroom apartment. It was nice, quaint, but not exactly what I'd been looking for. Alice seemed to feel the same I did; I couldn't tell how Edward felt about it. Not that it mattered to me. So with a bit more perusing, Alice and I told Eileen we were ready for the next place she had to show us.

"Actually, Jasper and I were going to head to see the rest of the places we had in mind, and then we have a meeting with our own real estate agent," said Edward rather quickly. He was probably just as unnerved about seeing me as I was about seeing him. I tried rectifying that by telling him something I thought might make him laugh.

"Hey, Edward," I called out to him. "I guess neither of us knew when we would see each other again, huh?" I said, kind of looking in between Jasper and Alice, trying to hint that I knew they had something to do with this. He seemed to understand, and he shot me a crooked grin that made my knees wobbly. _Holy hell_. I thought to myself, how the heck did he _do_ that?

Jasper and Alice exchanged and understanding, yet frustrated look, and we all exchanged goodbyes. Edward looked at me for a second longer than completely necessary, but I was not complaining about that. He looked frustrated. I didn't know what was causing him so much trouble, but I wished I could fix it for him.

We parted ways, and as soon as Alice and I were out of earshot, I turned to face her, and she was smiling. "Okay, Alice, wanna fill me in here?" I said, knowing full well she would know what I was referring to.

She just started laughing uncontrollably. "I'm sorry, Bella, but you and Edward couldn't have made that easier if you tried," she managed to get out in between giggles. I was officially confused.

"What are talking about?"

"Well, you know that Jasper came into Gourmet on Friday right?" I nodded. "Well, we got to talking and he let it slip that Edward wanted to see you again, but that he didn't want to seem like a stalker and walk in here himself asking for you." What? Edward sent Jasper to look for me? I felt a tiny bit of smugness at the fact that he'd gone to such measures just to surprise me. Alice continued, "So, I used my charming abilities to get the full story from him, and we cooked up this little plan, because it seems the two of you are not capable of arranging a date on your own. Then you actually _bumped_ into him. Priceless, Bella. Really."

I was a little offended at what Alice was saying. If Edward wanted to ask me out, he would have. He should have. I had to admit that I was confused at his constant presence lately, with no attempt at asking me out. I was almost ready to give up the hope that maybe he was interested. "That's ridiculous Alice. Edward is a grown man, if he wants to ask me out, he will," I said with confidence. Well, at least it was meant to sound confident.

Alice just looked at me, "Okay, whatever you say Bella," she said. With that, the conversation drifted to non Edward-related topics, and we began our apartment search as Eileen ended her phone call, which had been going on since we left the apartment building with Jasper and Edward.

Our apartment-hunting trip had been completely fruitless, because we didn't find a single one that I liked. I guess we would have to look again in a few weeks. I'd hoped that it would be an easy experience and I would have found my dream apartment by now, but I never had that much good luck.

Alice and I stumbled into my house, completely exhausted. We'd been walking around Seattle for nearly four hours, and then we had to make the three-hour drive back to Forks, which was not completely comfortable in Alice's tiny Porsche.

We looked at each other for a moment, and I knew what was coming. "Chinese?" we both said in unison. We laughed together as I went to the kitchen to grab the menu.

I thought of Edward once I was alone in the kitchen and I smiled. I quickly snapped out of it, grabbed the menu and took it into the living room. I looked over the menu and was looking forward to an evening with Alice that would hopefully include the entire chicken section.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Hit that review button if you would like a taste of what's next!**


	6. The Magic of a Fading Day

**So, this chapter is where it starts to get a little interesting. I know we are all frustrated with Edward, but don't worry, there is reason behind the madness. I think. I'm afraid there won't be any teasers for the next chapter, because it will be the prologue, continued! Woo! If I give you guys a teaser it will simply give too much away. I know I'm being evil, but the more reviews I get, the faster you guys will get the next chapter!**

**Thank you to my beta, KlutsyGoldfish and to coldplaywhore for pimping me LOL. Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed!**

**Oh, and for all of you non Fan Fiction users, I'm sorry I didn't realize that I had my anonymous reviews disabled. So if you found yourself yelling at me for begging for reviews when you couldn't review, I'm sorry for being such a dummy. Also, if you don't have a FF account and would like a teaser, just leave your email address in your review (youremailaddress (at) blahblahblah (dot) com) and I will send you a teaser!**

**One more thing, it is very important that you listen to the songs from this chapter! They completely set the mood. Okay, sorry that this note is so long!**

***I don't own Twilight, but I do have tickets to see Jack's Mannequin on June 25****th****!***

**EPOV**

I'd been at the hospital for about four hours; I had a day shift for a change, so when I went home I could get some normal sleep. I was looking over a chart for the patient behind the door I was standing in front of, not looking forward to this one. I had been thinking about Bella for most of my shift, anyway.

Seeing her in Seattle on Tuesday had been no coincidence, and she knew it too. I practically chewed Jazz out for that one. He and Alice made quite the pair, I decided. However, it was now Friday, and I hadn't seen Bella since Seattle. I made a note to myself to stop into Gourmet sometime next week. I had to see her soon.

I was beginning to get really frustrated with myself. Why couldn't I just ask her out? It's not like it was a big deal. _Just do it Cullen_, I kept telling myself, but I couldn't and it bothered me to no end. I felt as if I was some sixteen year-old kid who was trying to work up the nerve to ask out a supermodel, not the twenty-four year-old man who had just been offered a job at a major city hospital.

I had been completely surprised when I got offered the job at Northwest Hospital. They needed a resident physician, and since I was just starting, it was the perfect opportunity for me. I would be starting at the end of the summer, which worked out perfectly because I had found an apartment when I was with Jazz on Tuesday. I would be ready to move in on the first of September.

I finished with my patient, and went back out to the ER. I was behind the desk when I saw two people walk in. It was Alice and Bella, and Bella had a towel wrapped around her arm.

"Bella? Are you alright?" I asked as I went over to her and grabbed her arm gently. Why was she so accident-prone? She looked at me in complete surprise, but said nothing. _Come on, Bella help me out._ I needed to know what happened to her. I looked at Alice, hoping she could tell me what happened.

"She was cooking dinner for Charlie, cutting something or other, and the knife slipped. It's not that deep but we couldn't get it to stop bleeding," she said. Okay, now that I knew Bella wasn't mortally injured, I could get my act together and get her out of here as quickly as possible.

"Okay, Bella? Sit down, and I will tell someone to help you as soon as they can," I told her. She was still looking at me with an expression that looked…horrified? I wished I could have just carried her away and stitched her up right then. If I had anything to say about this tonight, I would be the one taking care of her. Maybe that was all she needed, someone to watch over her.

She nodded at me and managed a weak "thanks."

I walked away from her and went to the nurse that was behind the desk. "Margaret? That woman in there," I began, pointing to Bella, "with the towel around her arm? She is a friend of mine, and her arm needs a few stitches, I would appreciate it so much if you let me know when she is ready to get fixed up, and I will take care of it." Margaret nodded at me and told me that she would see what she could do. That would have to be enough, because in the ER, there was only so much you could really do because it was so unpredictable.

About an hour later, I got a page. It was the front desk at the ER. I hoped that it was Margaret telling me that I could stitch up Bella's arm. I wanted to be the one to fix her. I headed straight there after I was finished casting a sprained ankle.

I got to the desk, and Bella was sitting in the chair next to Margaret, having Alice filling out some forms for her since she cut her arm. Margaret spoke then, "She's all yours Doctor Cullen, lucky for you we got no bloody heads tonight," she said. I was so relieved that I was able to help Bella. I had a strange urge not to let anyone else touch her.

She stood up, and Alice said she would stay in the waiting room. The two women shared a look, almost like having a silent conversation. Margaret handed me Bella's chart so that I could see all of her basic information, and how deep and large the wound was before I actually laid eyes on it. Then Bella turned towards me and I led her to the room that had been prepped for the stitching.

"Are you alright?" I asked her as we walked into the room. She had been quiet the entire time, both times I'd seen her tonight, and I didn't know if it was because of me, or because she was in shock.

"I'm fine, thank you. They gave me a couple Tylenol, so I hardly feel a thing," she said with a small, reassuring smile. I felt better once I saw her smile. I wanted nothing more in that moment than to ask her out. All I really wanted to do was to sit down with her and get to know her, for more than twenty minutes.

"Good, I'm glad you're okay. Just sit down right there," I pointed to the seat that was next to the operating table. "Put you arm on the table, and just relax. I'll take good care of you," I told her. I gave her a half smile as I said it, to let her know that we were doing this more as friends than as doctor and patient. She nodded and sat down.

"I need to give you a couple shots of Novocain before we start," I told her with a remorseful look on my face. I wasn't sure how she felt about needles. Usually people were more afraid of the Novocain shot before the actually stitches, because after the medication set in, they couldn't feel anything and they could look away.

Just as I thought she would, she grimaced. "Alright. Just tell me when it's over," she said.

"Will do. I'll try my best not to hurt you," I told her. I grabbed two Novocain shots, and sat down across from her. I pulled off the dressings they had given her. "Ready?" I asked. She nodded, and I made sure the areas around where I would inject her were clean, and I gave her both shots. "There. All finished. How was that?"

"That's it? I didn't feel a thing. Thank you," she told me sincerely.

"You're welcome," I told her. We looked at each other for a few moments, until I snapped out of it and realized that I really just wanted to fix her. I didn't like seeing her broken.

I began stitching up her arm, and she broke the silence after a few minutes.

"What's that song I hear? I didn't even know they played music in hospitals," she said with a tiny chuckle. _I've waited all night to see you smile_, I thought to myself. I hadn't heard any music. I listened more carefully, and soon I recognized Katie Melua's version of 'Just Like Heaven' coming from down the hall.

"Hmm. That's Katie Melua doing 'Just Like Heaven' by The Cure. You've never heard it before?" she shook her head and I added, "We're right down the hall from the coma wing. Sometimes they play music for the coma patients."

"Really? That's nice," she said. "I like it. Maybe even better than the original," she told me. I liked it better than the original too, which made me smile. She really was turning out to be my musical soul mate.

"So do I, actually. I think it fits the lyrics better than The Cure's version." She nodded in agreement as I continued with the stitches. The cut wasn't that large or deep, but Alice and Bella said that they couldn't stop the bleeding when it happened.

I had Bella's arm stitched up in about twenty minutes. It took about ten stitches. "There. All done," I said as I grabbed some gauze, cleaned, and wrapped up her arm.

"Thank you so much. I really appreciate you making sure that it was taken care of," she said.

"Really, Bella it was no problem. As long as there were no dying people I'm happy to help," I said with a smile. She laughed at my comment. I knew I had to do it then. I looked at her with determination in my eyes.

"Bella, I-" then the door swung open. _Why does the fucking universe hate me?_

"Doctor Cullen, you're needed in the emergency room right away. There is a man with a severe knife wound," the nurse who walked in told me.

"I'm sorry, Bella I have to go," I said as I ran from the room. I didn't want to be near her any longer. Well, of course I wanted to be near her, as often as I could. I just couldn't stand the frustration of yet another failed attempt at asking her out.

**BPOV**

I was cooking lasagna for dinner. Normally, I wouldn't make a meal that was so time-consuming just for me and Charlie, but Alice was having dinner here tonight, so I splurged a little.

Renee was away for the weekend for work. She ran a stand at local fairs making jewelry, and she was in Port Angeles this weekend. She decided just to stay in a hotel since the fair was three days this weekend, from Friday night until Sunday.

"Smells good, Bells," Charlie said as he walked into the kitchen.

"Thanks Dad," I told him as I grabbed a tomato to begin chopping. "Alice is staying, so I figured I would cook something a little extra special, considering Mom is away for the weekend."

"Well, I'm not one to complain about lasagna," he said with a laugh. Just then Alice bounced into the kitchen.

"Hi Charlie!" she squeaked.

"Well, hey Alice! How have you been?"

"Pretty damn good, except I have to practically force your daughter to buy herself nice clothes," she said as she grimaced at my worn out yoga pants and Jack's Mannequin t-shirt.

"Al, start making fun of Jack's and you will pay," I told her, making sure she knew not to cross me about my favorite band.

"Fine, fine. It was more those sweatpants though Bella. I hate those things," she said waving her arms in defense. "You know I like Jack's. Who could not?" I just laughed and turned back to my tomatoes.

"Oh you girls," Charlie said as he laughed and went to the fridge to grab a beer. "I'll be watching the game." He exited the kitchen and turned on the television in the living room.

"So, have you seen Edward since Seattle?" Alice asked me as soon as Charlie was out of earshot.

"Nope, he never came in to see me when I was working this week. You probably scared him," I told her as I laughed.

Alice laughed. "I don't think so Bella. You're probably the one that has him scared."

"Hey – OW!" My hand was slippery from the tomato juice and it slipped forward, right towards the knife. The tip of the knife left a large gash on the underside of my arm.

"Bella? What happened?" Alice asked.

"I cut my arm with that damned knife! Ouch."

"Here I'll get you a towel," she said as she quick ran down the hall. She came back seconds later and put the towel over my arm.

After a minute or two, I realized the inevitable, but Alice beat me to the punch.

"Charlie, Bella's cut herself again. I'm taking her to the emergency room," she shouted into the living room.

"Al, it's not that bad, really," I told her. I hated the damn ER.

"Bella, we've already soaked this towel with blood. I'm getting you a new one and then I am driving you to the hospital. If you have a problem with that, then I will _drag_ you to the hospital. Any objections?"

I had to laugh despite the pain in my arm. "Fine, Al. let's go."

Charlie came into the kitchen then. "Bells? Are you hurt bad? Do I need to take you?" he asked. The last thing I wanted was to not only have to go to the ER but to be dragged by Charlie in his cruiser.

"No, Dad it's fine. Alice is going to take me. It's not horrible, I promise." He relented and Alice and I were out the door.

* * * * * * * * *

When I saw Edward in the emergency room, my entire body froze. Of course I had to get hurt on his shift. I just hoped that I wouldn't have to sit across from him while I received stitches, which I was sure I would need.

Then Edward had run over to me. The look he'd given me was caring. He looked like he was truly concerned that I might really be hurt badly. The thought made me want to smile, but my face was frozen. I could barely mutter thank you to him.

Then about an hour later, he'd come back and told me that he would be taking care of me himself, and I wasn't as horrified by that prospect as I thought I would have been. However, I was still nervous and embarrassed, so I stayed quiet.

Then he was so gentle with what he was doing, I never even felt the Novocain shots. We were silent for the majority of the time he was stitching up my arm, which was about twenty minutes. However it wasn't an awkward silence, it was comfortable. When we began talking about the music that was coming from the coma wing, I was instantly relaxed. I loved talking to Edward about music. We really saw eye to eye when it came to music. I liked the song too, I'd never heard it, but I made a mental note to download it when I got home.

Then he gave me the strangest look. He looked so…determined; I guess was the only way to describe it. And just as he was about to speak, we were interrupted.

He ran away from me after that, and I was confused as to why. The nurse who'd come in to inform him he was needed in the ER escorted me out of the room and I went back to the waiting room to check out.

"All fixed?" Alice asked when she saw me. I nodded my head at her. We filled out some forms and we were on our way.

Since we never had the chance to eat, Alice and I just picked up a pizza on our way home. Mostly so Charlie wouldn't starve, because my nerves were all too jumbled to actually eat anything.

"Oh Bella! I completely forgot to tell you due to all the excitement," Alice began as she took a bite of her pizza. "Jasper called me today. We're going out on his sailboat next Friday, and he asked if you wanted to come."

"He asked if I wanted to come out with you guys on your first date?"

"Well that was my reaction at first, but I might need a buffer just in case all we have in common was what we talked about last week at Gourmet," she said with a chuckle.

"I don't know Alice. What if we see Jacob? I don't think I can handle him right now," I told her truthfully.

"Don't worry Bella. If he even thinks about speaking to you, _if_ we see him, then I will kick his ass."

I laughed. "Sure, Al. I'd love to come," I told her. I'd never actually been sailing before.

She left a little while after that, and it was a good thing too, because I was exhausted. I walked up to my room after saying goodnight to Charlie.

The rest of the weekend was peaceful, until Tuesday when I had to go back to work.

Tuesday at four, I walked into Gourmet and was immediately forced to play a game of twenty questions with Mike about my arm. Neither his questions, nor his concerns were nearly as comforting as Edward's had been.

A little while after that, I looked up and saw Edward walk in. He looked back at me and I smiled at him. It was kind of an additional silent thank you for Friday night.

He walked up to the counter. "Hey Bella," he began.

"Hey. Can I get you anything?"

"Actually, I just came to see how your arm was doing," he said, sounding a little concerned. _See, Mike._ That's_ how you're supposed to sound._ I snapped out of it before I started drooling on the counter.

"Oh, actually it's doing great. I'm pretty sure I'm good taking care of it. I have a lot of practice, you know," I told him with a laugh. He didn't join me as I was expecting, instead he just gave me a small smile. "Thank you again. I know you pulled some strings to get me in, so don't even tell me that I don't need to say it." He looked at me with an understanding look, and just nodded his head.

I wondered if he really came here just to see how my arm was doing. "So, that's all you wanted to know?" He paused for a second. Then he gave me the same look that he gave me in the hospital.

"Bella!" Mike interrupted. _What the hell do you want from me?_ I jumped a little when I heard Mike's voice, because I had been so concentrated on what Edward was about to say. At this rate, I didn't think he would ever get to tell me. I was seriously considering just ignoring Mike and grabbing Edward from behind the counter and kissing him right there. However, a second thought told me that that wasn't such a good idea.

"Yes, Mike?" I said in an aggravated tone, turning to face him.

"Is Alice working tonight?" he asked me. _What the hell, Mike?_

"I don't know, Mike. Don't you make the schedule?"

"Right. Sorry." What the hell was up with him? I turned back to Edward.

"Sorry about that. What were you going to say?" I asked him because I was anxious to know.

"Um, I was actually just wondering if you ended up finding an apartment on Tuesday," he said. Liar.

"No, actually I didn't. I'll have to look again in a few weeks." He didn't even answer me; his only response was a small nod.

Thank god the awkwardness ended after that. There was an incident involving Mike and some pizza sauce, which got both me and Edward laughing. We talked casually for a few minutes after that until he left. The air was completely clear of all the awkward mess that we had been faced with the last couple of times we'd seen each other, and for that I was grateful. Maybe I'd just been imagining the determined look in Edward's eyes after all.

Part of me was still hoping though.

That night when I got home, I went straight to bed after cleaning and redressing my arm. I climbed into bed after putting on The Weepies CD that was sitting next to my stereo.

My thoughts immediately went to Edward, and the possibility that he might be trying to ask me out. I knew I wanted him to, but I wasn't sure if he did. Why hadn't he done it yet if he really wanted me?

Then I thought that I was probably over-analyzing this entire situation. He was my friend. At least, I think he was my friend. The truth was, I didn't know what exactly this was between us, but I definitely knew it was something. I thought about him everyday, that couldn't be nothing. At least not on my end.

I sighed and changed into my pajamas.

I crawled into bed and turned out the lights, but leaving the stereo on. My head was still filled with thoughts of Edward, and I'd accepted that there was nothing I could do about that. There was nothing I wanted to do about that.

_What can I compare you to, a favorite pair of shoes?  
Maybe my bright red boots, if they had wings  
Funny how we animate colorful objects saved  
Funny how it's hard to take a love with no sting_

_Come on take it, come on take it, take it from me  
Come on take it, come on take it, take it from me  
We've got a good life_

_What can I compare you to, a window the sun shines through?  
Maybe the silver moon, a smile rising  
The magic of a fading day, satellites on parade  
A toast to the plans we've made to live like kings_

_Come on take it, come on take it, take it from me  
Come on take it, come on take it, take it from me  
We've got a good life_

_I lose my breath, despite the air  
When the rain falls down, I give in to despair  
Pink Magnolia in winter, she doesn't care  
If you don't show up, to have another cup_

_What can I compare you to, when everything looks like you?  
I get a bit confused with every spring  
Flowers that bloom your eyes, hummingbirds side by side  
My heart won't stay entirely in its rib caging_

_

* * *

_

_Thanks for reading! Don't forget to check out the songs for this chapter!!_


	7. Your Lips Give You Away

**Sorry, sorry, sorry! I forgot to add that there WILL be teasers for anyone who reviews this chapter!!**

**Here it is folks, the moment you've all been waiting for! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint any of my lovely readers. I'm sorry if there are any inconsistencies, a lot of the events that ended up happening before this weren't my original intentions, but if there are, feel free to point them out to me and I will fix them.**

**Thank you to my lovely friend and beta, KlutzyGoldfish. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially those who do it consistently.**

**** The song for this chapter is 'Rescued' by Jack's Mannequin. It is not actually mentioned in the text, but the chapter's title has lyrics from it. The link for it will be on my profile, and I strongly encourage you to go and have a listen, because it suits this chapter perfectly. ****

***I don't own Twilight, but I do have pajama pants with Snoopy on them***

**BPOV**

The wind blowing on my face while I sat on the sailboat was the most relaxing thing I had felt since Edward visited me at work on Tuesday. I smiled at the thought of him. He'd come to visit me almost every day that I was working at Gourmet for the past week. Everything about him intrigued me, his voice, his smile, his laugh, his eyes, everything. Three visits, and all that had occurred between us so far was small talk. It was beginning to make me anxious because I didn't think he was interested in me romantically, but at the same time I wondered why he kept coming back to visit me. That is what I intended to ponder on this boat trip with Alice and Jasper. He would probably think I'm crazy if he ever knew that I thought about him like that. Then again, I probably am crazy.

Edward's best friend, Jasper had asked Alice if she wanted to go sailing with him on his father's sailboat. He'd come into the pizzeria on the day after Edward's first visit, while she was on her shift. They'd hit it off just like I thought they would. Just like Alice hoped, and this was their first official date. He suggested that I come along since I was Alice's best friend and later Alice agreed because she thought that the two of them may need a buffer incase things got awkward. Of course, a half an hour into the trip and it was like I wasn't even there.

We were sailing down at La Push, and Alice was lucky she got me to come, since Jake lived down there. But I would do anything for Alice, and she would do anything for me. Luckily there were no sightings of Jacob. I don't think I could have stopped Alice from punching his lights out if we had run into him, anyway.

Jasper's cell phone rang. He laughed and said, "No way, Cullen!" and my eyes brightened a little at the mention of Edward's surname. Then I rationalized that Jasper might be talking to Emmett, and with my luck he probably was. Alice and I looked at each other curiously, both wondering what was going on.

"Hey," Alice whispered to me, "maybe your Mr. Studmuffin is here. Aren't you glad I dragged you on this trip now?" she finished with a small laugh while covering her mouth with her tiny hand. Her pixie-like haircut ruffled slightly in the wind, at the same time that my long ponytail whipped around my body, hitting me in the face. "Oh! Do you think I can do your makeup? Please, Bella?" she looked at me with her best puppy dog eyes, but there was no way I was getting mauled by Alice today.

"Oh god, Alice. We don't even know if Jasper is talking to Edward. It's probably just Emmett, and there is no way I am letting you attack my face simply because there is a chance I might see Edward," I said with a sigh. I usually tried to protect myself by not getting my hopes up, because I knew the second I let my guard down, I would get hurt.

Alice's bottom lip popped out into a pout at my refusal. "Fine Bella, but when he finally asks you out, you won't be able to stop me" she said while rubbing her hands together like an evil villain.

A few minutes later, we were interrupted when Jasper hung up his cell phone and told us that Emmett, Rosalie and Edward had spotted our boat a few hundred feet away. We all looked around and soon we spotted Emmett, Rosalie and Edward on another sailboat about a hundred and fifty feet away from us. Their boat was sailing towards ours. It was Emmett who had called out to Jasper. A huge smile came across my face as soon as I saw Edward.

I saw Edward wave to me. I waved back tentatively. This awkwardness had to stop. I felt like a seventeen year-old girl waving to a boy she liked, not a twenty-two year-old woman. It was getting a little ridiculous.

"Well why don't you get your ass over here!"

Jasper simply rolled his eyes and turned around so he could steer the boat closer to where Edward, Emmett and Rosalie were. I did an inner happy dance knowing that I would be close to him soon as Alice nudged me in the arm, somehow knowing what I was thinking.

Just as Jasper was about to start steering the boat, there was a loud explosion. All three of us turned at the exact same time, to find that Edward's boat had exploded. The explosion wasn't big enough to destroy the entire boat, but it was easy to see that half of the boat was up in flames.

"Oh my god!" yelled Alice, while Jasper and I were both too shocked to say anything. This was the first moment in my entire life that I was actually grateful that I had finally taken the lifeguard training that Charlie had been trying to get me to do ever since I was seventeen. I immediately dove into the water and started swimming towards the boat.

I didn't hear anything from Alice or Jasper behind me, not that any words from them would have stopped me.

I swam for what felt like hours, until I finally reached the boat that was now on fire. At a closer look, it was easier to see that the explosion hadn't been huge, but it was enough that the three people were no longer on the boat. I didn't see whether they all had jumped off, or if the force of the explosion threw them off.

"Edward? Emmett? Rosalie?" I kept repeating their names. Nothing. I kept calling until my throat was sore. Finally, I saw Emmett and Rosalie appear from behind the boat holding onto each other tightly. I was mostly relieved that they were okay, but I was still utterly terrified that Edward had not been so lucky.

"Where's Edward?" I cried. I began searching frantically around me for any sign of movement.

"I don't know, we looked everywhere but we didn't see him," said Emmett.

I froze for a moment as I heard a faint splashing a few feet from me. I soon got my act together, and began swimming towards the noise. To my complete relief, and simultaneous horror, I saw Edward. Though he was no longer moving, and quickly sinking below the surface. I began to swim faster and faster, hoping that I wasn't too late to save him.

When I finally reached him, I grabbed him and called his name, "Edward! Edward!" With no response, I just turned around and began swimming towards Jasper's boat, which I could see was already headed in my direction.

His weight felt like nothing because of the adrenaline that was coursing through my body. All I could focus on was getting to the boat. When I finally got to it, Jasper and Alice both helped me get Edward onto it, followed closely by Rosalie and Emmett. As soon as I was on that boat, I was kneeling in front of Edward calling his name, praying that he would answer me on his own. I soon realized that he wasn't going to wake up, and I would have to do CPR.

"Edward! Wake up!" I kept shouting as I began to pump my hands on top of his chest, taking his face in my hands. I put my lips on his and began to breathe for him. I kept repeating the steps, over and over again. _1…2…3…4…5_. Breathe.

"Edward, please!" I cried. All I could say was his name. There was nothing in the world that could have stopped me from what I was doing. I would wake him up if it killed me.

Finally, water spilled from his mouth as he began to cough it up. There were no words to describe the relief I felt in that moment. "Oh, Edward!" I said as I waited for him to wake up fully and realize what had happened.

"Bella? What happened?" he asked as I started to cry, silent tears running down my cheeks. I was so happy to be able to look into his eyes again.

"I don't know. All I know is that your boat went up in flames, and before I knew it I was in the water swimming after you," I said truthfully as I watched his facial expressions change as he began to remember.

He looked over at Emmett, "Emmett, what the hell happened?"

"I don't know man. It must have been the fuel lines. They must have broken after I lit the stove. Remind me never too cook on a boat again," he said with a tiny chuckle, all of us joining him simply to lighten the mood a little bit. "I'm so sorry, Edward."

"It's alright man, you're my brother. Shit happens."

Just after he said that, Edward turned to me with a grateful expression on his face. "Bella…" he choked, before he was at a loss for words. I put my fingers to his lips to let him know that he didn't need to thank me, or say anything for that matter. I just needed to know that he was really here, and that I wasn't still leaning over him crying his name, imagining all of this. Sensing what I wanted from him, he leaned in and gave me a hug. It was the most intimate thing I had ever experienced in my entire life. Edward seemed to put all of his thankfulness into his hug, and I returned it with all of my joy that he was alive.

"Thank you, Bella," he said simply before I pulled away.

"Edward, don't ever thank me for wanting to keep you with me," I told him, immediately regretting the fact that I was being so open with him. Well, almost losing someone you were starting to care about can do that to someone. He just smiled at me weakly before I remembered that we were all still soaking wet and he was recovering from nearly drowning.

"Oh my god, Edward you must be freezing. Let me get you some blankets. Jasper, we need to get him to shore as soon as possible." Jasper nodded at me and he turned to get the boat to shore. At that moment, I looked past Edward's shoulder and saw what was left of their boat sinking below the water.

I was brought back to the present by Edward, "Bella, don't worry I will be fine. You just saved my life, the least I can do is get you blankets." Of course, he had almost drowned, and _he_ wanted to get_ me_ a blanket.

"I don't think so. Sit down and rest," I told him as I got up before he could protest further.

"Oh, Bella! Sit down!" shouted Alice. "Jasper and I are completely dry, and not nearly as exhausted as any of you four. _I_ will go get you some blankets, so put a cork in it and rest. Please."

She came back with four blankets, one for me, one for Edward, and one for both Rosalie and Emmett, who I had almost forgotten were there. They had been so wrapped up in each other it was like they weren't. Heck, I had been so wrapped up in Edward; it was like there was no one on this boat except him and me.

Alice and I began talking about how freaked out we all were. "Well, Jasper and I will definitely never forget our first date," she said.

"So, there will be more dates in the future?" I asked her.

"Definitely. Bella, I really like him."

"That's so great, Al. I'm happy for you," I said, hiding my twinge of jealousy. Apparently I didn't hide it very well, because after I said it, Alice stroked my arm comfortingly.

"Don't worry Bella. If Edward knows what's good for him, he'll definitely ask you out. Especially after you saved his life," she added with a small chuckle.

A few minutes later, Edward approached me. "Hey Bella" he said as I looked at Alice. She smiled at me, then at Edward, and left to give us some privacy.

"Oh, hi Edward."

The determination was in his eyes again.

"Listen, I don't exactly know how to do this…" He stopped for a moment, and closed his eyes to compose himself. When he opened them, the determination that had been there a few moments ago, had now increased ten-fold.

In one swift stride towards me, Edward grabbed my arm, not forcefully, and crushed his lips to mine. I was in complete shock. What had brought this urgency on? I decided that I didn't care.

I closed my eyes and kissed him back. He took my bottom lip between his and sucked on it gently, while I took his top lip. He ran his tongue across my bottom lip, and I didn't hesitate to open my mouth to him.

His tongue entered my mouth while mine entered his. We both basked in the joy that had now filled the atmosphere between us. After a few minutes of our frantic kissing, we were both desperate for air, and I had to pull away.

We stared into each other's eyes for a few moments, before I had to open my big yap.

"Wow," was all I was able to say. I needed him to explain himself.

"I'm sorry I just attacked you like that. It's just after what happened, I realized that I have wanted to do that ever since I met you and I didn't want to put it off any longer," he stated matter-of-factly. There was no amount of hesitation or irony in the way he spoke. I was stunned.

I felt the urge to be just as honest with him.

"I've actually been hoping you would do that ever since I met you," I said with a laugh. He smiled and gave me one more chaste kiss before putting his arms around my shoulder. He led me to where everyone else had settled down, and we sat next to each other. Edward put his arms around me, and I snuggled close to his side. He placed his chin on my head, and then leaned his face down further until I felt what I thought was his nose against my hair, before he…inhaled? I tightened my grip on his body, and leaned into him further. I wanted to know if there was a reason why he was smelling me, so I buried my nose into his shirt and inhaled as well. He smelled of salt water, and nothing else, really. Although as I inhaled deeper, I did sense a faint smell of something…sweet? I made a mental note to repeat this action when there was no salt water obscuring his scent.

"How is your arm?" he asked me. I actually didn't feel a thing. I'd been so worried about him that it hadn't been bothering me at all. He grabbed it gently, and examined it, taking off the bandage.

"I think it's fine. Maybe the salt water actually id it some good," I said. I was actually reveling in him holding my arm. His touch was so soothing.

"It doesn't look too bad. Someone should check it out when we get to the hospital though," he said as he kissed my hand, and put it back down on my lap as he held it.

He got up for a moment to get some fresh dressings for my arm so it didn't get infected from being exposed. When he came back, he cleaned it up and redressed it. As soon as he was finished, we resumed our earlier position.

I turned my head up towards him, and he looked down at me. We smiled at each other for a moment before he tucked my head underneath his chin again. Being in Edward's arms just felt right. Like I was supposed to be there.

**EPOV**

Water. It was everywhere. I couldn't move. I couldn't place anything around me. And then it all went black.

The next thing I knew, I was coughing up water, and I opened my eyes and saw the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen. Bella, and her beautiful brown eyes were staring at me with the happiest look I had ever seen on her lovely face. She was glowing, but she was also crying. I decided that these must be happy tears, considering the huge smile on her face.

"Bella? What happened?" I asked her. The last thing I could remember was jumping from the boat right after it had exploded. I had no idea what had happened, before or after that.

"I don't know. All I know is that your boat went up in flames, and before I knew it I was in the water swimming after you," she said between sobs. I stopped, and then all of the memories came back to me. I'd been struggling to keep my head above the water, while searching for Rose and Emmett. I must have inhaled water.

I turned to Emmett, to see if he knew what happened with the boat. It must have been the fuel lines that had broken, right after he'd lit the stove. Thank god they'd broken after he lit the stove, otherwise he wouldn't be standing here. I let him know that it didn't matter, because he was my brother. No one got seriously hurt, and that was all I cared about.

When I thanked Bella for saving my life, she told me that she wanted to keep me with her. I was so taken aback by her openness that I had no response for her. If she wouldn't let me thank her, then I needed to do something. I pulled her in and gave her a hug. I put all the energy I had into the embrace, trying to make her feel the thanks behind it.

I went over to Rosalie to check her head. There was a small amount of tenderness where she'd hit it, but I was concerned. I told everyone that we needed to go to the hospital when we got back to the docks.

I looked over, and saw that Bella was talking with Alice and looking out at the ocean. She looked so beautiful, disheveled hair and all. I actually kind of liked it. I walked over to her, and Alice left us. After what had just happened, there was no way I was putting this off any longer. Except my urge to do something about it had grown a hundred times since I'd last seen her.

There was hardly any hesitation this time, and thankfully, no interruptions either. When I kissed her, I could tell that she was in shock, but then she kissed me back, and it was the happiest moment of my life. Our tongues danced for a few minutes, until we both needed to breathe. Damned air.

I checked her arm to make sure the stitches hadn't come out or anything while she was in the water. It looked fine, but I still wanted someone to look at it when we got to the hospital.

I had Bella in my arms, where I'd wanted her to be ever since I saw her a few weeks ago. I was so relieved that I'd finally done something about my feelings for her. Now all I had to do was make sure she knew that it wasn't just a one-time thing.

When we got back to the marina, we barely tied up the boat before we headed to our cars. I had Bella's hand in mine, and to be honest, I didn't want to let go of it.

"Do you want to ride with us?" I asked her.

"Yes," she said quickly. I chuckled a little at her urgency. Luckily Emmett had insisted we drive his jeep. Jasper and Alice headed towards his car, and they followed us. Rose was in the front seat with Emmett, and I got into the back seat with Bella.

"Rosalie how is your head?" I asked, making sure she wasn't feeling too much dizziness.

"It's alright, I do feel a little dizzy though," she said. She would be alright as long as she was awake.

"You'll be fine, babe," Emmett told her as he reached over and placed his hand on her thigh.

"I love you, Emmett," she said simply.

"Love you too, Rosie."

When we arrived at the emergency room, I insisted that someone look at Rosalie first, and Emmett was in complete agreement.

"Edward? What happened?" I heard someone say. I turned around and saw Carlisle entering the ER. I was sitting in the waiting room, next to Bella. Alice and Jasper were sitting next to her on her other side.

"The boat's gone, Dad. I don't know what happened, but all of sudden it was up in flames, and we were all in the water. Thank god Jasper was out there not three hundred feet away from us, otherwise I don't think we'd be here right now," I said, looking at Bella with gratitude in my eyes. She looked back at me and smiled.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked.

"For the most part. Rosalie might have a small concussion," I told him.

"He's forgetting the part where he almost drowned," Bella spoke up. "I think someone needs to look at him and make sure he's alright," she said.

"Bella, I'm fine. I just want someone to make sure your arm isn't infected."

"Edward, if you don't get yourself checked out, then neither will I," she told me as she took her hand from mine and folded her arms across her chest. Damn, this girl is going to be the death of me.

"Fine," I told her as I reached over and grabbed her hand again. Carlisle looked back and forth between us suspiciously.

"I'm glad you're all safe," my father said. "Your mother is going to have a heart attack when she finds out about this."

"Well, I'd say she doesn't have to know, except for the fact that the boat is at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean," I said.

"You two sit tight, I'll make sure you're taken care of soon," Carlisle said.

About three hours later, we were all walking out of the hospital, completely exhausted. Luckily Rosalie didn't have a concussion, by some miracle we all walked out of this unscathed. Bella's arm was not infected, and I didn't have water in my lungs. I just didn't want to let go of Bella. The only time our hands hadn't been locked together was when we were both being examined.

"Well, that was an interesting day," Jasper said. We all laughed.

"He's just lucky that I still want to go out with him again," Alice said between giggles.

I pulled Bella to the side before she got in the car with Alice and Jasper. "Bella, I just want you to know that I intend to keep on kissing you," I said. Well, that kind of came out wrong.

"Well, thanks. I think," she said with mock confusion on her face.

"What I mean is, I'd like to see you sometime. Outside of the pizzeria," I added.

Her face lit up. "I'd like that," she said. I leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss.

"How is Sunday night? I have a day off from the hospital, thanks to today's little accident, and I figure we all need at least one day to recuperate from all of this," I told her.

"Sunday night would be great," she told me. I kissed her once more. "Do you have a pen?" she asked me. I didn't know what she would need a pen for, but I reached into my car and pulled one out of the glove compartment.

She grabbed my hand and wrote something down on it. Her phone number. Duh. I smiled when I saw it, and then I looked at her again. "Yeah, that might be useful," I told her as she laughed.

"I'll call you tomorrow," I told her as she smiled and started to walk away.

As I watched her walk away, I realized something. Out of all my time with Tanya, I'd never felt this way. Bella made me feel like I could do anything, and I knew in that moment.

I loved her.

_Two to one  
Static to the sound of you and I  
Undone for the last time  
And there this was  
Hiding at the bottom of your swimming pool  
Some September  
And don't you think I wish that I could stay  
Your lips give you away_

_I can hear it, the jet engine  
Through the center of the storm  
And I'm thinking I'd  
Prefer not to be rescued_

_Two to none  
Roads that lead away from this  
I'm following myself just this once  
And I got spun  
It appears you're spun as well  
It happens when you pay attention  
This could take all year, but_

_When it's quiet, does she hear me?  
Jettisoned to the center of the storm  
And I'm thinking I'd  
Prefer not to be rescued  
Oh, I can feel her,  
She's dying just to keep me cool  
I'm finally numb, so please  
Don't get me rescued_

_And it's unclear  
But this may be my last song  
Oh, I, I can tell  
She's raising hell to give to me, but  
She got me warm  
So please don't get me rescued_

_Oh, say you'll miss me one last time  
I'll be strong, but whatever you do  
Please don't get me rescued_

_Cause I'm feeling like  
I might need to be near you  
And I feel alright, so please  
Don't get me rescued_


	8. I Want to Hold Your Hand

**I'm so sorry that I'm such a dumbass, probably the only author on here that can mess up and have to repost a chapter 3 times, but I forgot to add the links to Bella's dress and Edward's car to my profile, so they're there now.**

**So, Gilmore Girls was on the other day when I was writing this, and it inspired me for this idea. There is also a Gilmore quote in here, so brownie points to anyone who can guess what it is, but if you're an avid watcher like myself, it will be fairly obvious. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and to my beta, KlutzyGoldfish, seriously go read her story!!! There will be teasers for all who review this chapter!**

***I don't own Twilight, but KlutzyGoldfish and I do have tickets to see Avenue Q on Broadway next Tuesday. I know, I'm such a ticket whore.***

**BPOV**

Edward.

I got into Jasper's car with a smile so wide on my face that it made my cheeks hurt. Both Alice and Jasper looked at me with confused looks, but I just looked at Alice and shook my head. I would tell her about this later.

"Jasper, I'm going to stay with Bella for a little while at her place," Alice said. Good, then I could talk to her. All of this was too much to keep inside my head.

"That's cool. I'll see you next week?" he asked her. She nodded and we both got out of the car once we'd pulled up to my house.

We walked in, and not two seconds after the door was shut, Alice spoke. "Spill. Now," was all she said to me.

"I will be happy to, Al. But right now, my clothes are still all wet, and I would really love to take a shower. If you don't mind," I said. She giggled and took in my appearance, then nodded.

I ran up the stairs and got into the shower. Of course my thoughts drifted right back to where they had been before, in the car.

Edward.

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts of him, that I accidentally got shampoo in my eye, and almost forgot to condition my hair. With my long, thick locks, that would have been such a headache. However, I didn't really care at the moment.

Edward, Edward, Edward.

I was practically dancing in the shower. When he'd taken me by surprise on the boat, I'd been thrilled. Then when he finally, I mean _finally_ got the chance to ask me out, I was completely floored. Especially when he made it clear that he 'wanted to keep kissing me,' that was perhaps the strangest line I'd ever heard. But I laughed because I somehow understood what he'd meant.

I wondered where he was taking me. Hopefully not somewhere too nice. I didn't want him to spend too much money, considering he might change his mind about the whole thing after the first twenty minutes of sitting alone with me.

I'd managed to clean myself successfully, and got out of the shower and headed into my room to get dressed. I put in my copy of 'Revolver' and skipped all the way to my favorite Beatles song. I got dressed quickly and began dancing, quite clumsily might I add, to 'Got to Get You Into My Life.' This song always made me want to dance, and now I was pretty sure I had good cause for some dancing.

I went downstairs as soon as my dancing escapade was over, and I was met with Alice, sitting on the couch eating a rather large bowl of popcorn. There was also a half-gallon of strawberry ice cream sitting on the coffee table. Damn pixie knew my weaknesses. She was clutching the bowl so tightly in anticipation that I thought if she made the smallest move she might send the bowl flying across the room.

"Jeez, Al. How many bags of popcorn did you make anyway?" I asked her. That bowl was almost bigger than she was. "And using the strawberry ice cream on me? You're pure evil."

She gave me a smirk. "Well, I have to make sure you tell me _everything_ Bella. The ice cream is merely a precaution."

I rolled my eyes and sat down on the couch next to her. "It's really not that big of a deal," I told her. I should have known she would see right through that one.

She raised her eyebrows at me. "Really Bella? Because that obnoxious grin you had on your face the entire ride home was something I've never seen on you. And we've been friends forever, Bella. Since the womb! The only time in my life I didn't know you was the three months before you were born!"

"Okay, okay Alice. I get it. I'll stop beating around the bush." I stopped for a moment and closed my eyes. I thought of Edward kissing me, and opened them again. "He kissed me," I told her as my face spread into a wide smile.

The biggest smile crossed her face. "Bella!" she said as she through herself at me and hugged me tightly. "I'm so happy for you. I was beginning to think that you two idiots would never get there," she said as she began laughing while I joined her.

"It was just a kiss Alice. He didn't ask me to marry him or anything," I said.

"Was that all that happened?"

"Well, he asked me out for Sunday night," I told her as I smiled at the thought. Then the smile faded when I realized that I had no idea what this date would entail.

"Oh, Bella! I am so getting you all dressed up! Now you have a reason to wear that dress you got at Victoria's Secret a couple weeks ago," she told me as her face began to contort into the thinking, meticulous, let's-see-how-far-we-can-torture-Bella-before-she-snaps Alice.

I grimaced at her. "No, no, no Alice. I don't even know where he's taking me," I told her as I began to wave my arms in front of my body in protest.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "We'll see about that." The way she said those words actually sounded threatening.

"Whatever you say, Al."

"Alright Bella. I need to get some rest. I know I wasn't the one who nearly drowned, or rescued anyone today, but the emotional stress is messing with my delicate figure," she said as I rolled my eyes at her.

"Okay, I'll see you later Alice. Go get your beauty sleep," I said with a small laugh.

"Night Bella," she said as she turned around and gave me a hug, no doubt a result from the afternoon's events. I hugged her back, and she left.

I walked up to my bedroom after I cleaned up the remnants of Alice's edible weapons. Charlie was working the late shift tonight, so he wouldn't be home until tomorrow morning. As soon as I sat down on my bed, completely ready for sleep, my cell phone rang.

Edward.

"So, do you plan on telling me where you are taking me Sunday night? Or do I have to figure it out all by myself?" I said as I answered the phone, without even a hello.

"Well, hello to you too," he said with a laugh. "Actually, I called to tell you that I will pick you up at nine on Sunday night." I wondered what he had planned. Now I was sure to be subjected to Alice's torture.

"Nine? What in the hell are we doing that starts at nine?" I asked curiously.

"You'll just have to wait and see, Bella," he told me. "It's a surprise."

"I really hate being surprised, you know. Just for future reference," I said as he laughed. "I mean, providing you don't get bored of me after one date," I clarified.

"I highly doubt that will happen, Bella," he said in a slightly more serious tone. I blushed such a deep shade of red at his statement that I was afraid he could feel the heat coming off my face through the phone.

We talked for about an hour, mostly casual stuff, favorite music, movies, books, nothing really important about our personal lives. Edward's favorite movie was _Fight Club_, while mine was anything with Audrey Hepburn. _Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany's, _and_ Funny Face_ were probably my top three.

I went to sleep extremely happy, and of course, dreamed of Edward. Like I had been doing all week.

**EPOV**

I spent all of Saturday planning for my date with Bella. First and most importantly, I needed to talk to Jasper, who knew a guy that would prove very useful for what I had planned. I called him up.

"Hey, Jazz, listen could you do me a favor? I have a date with Bella tomorrow night, and I need you to call that guy with all of the projector film. What's his name? Duke?" I asked, truly forgetting the guy's name.

"Oh, you mean Luke?" Jazz clarified. Right. Luke.

"Yeah, that's the guy. Can you ask him to get something for me?"

"Sure, no problem dude. What are you looking for?"

As soon as I finished telling Jazz about my plans for my date with Bella, he accused me of trying to get into her pants on the first date, which actually was not the case. Sure, I admit I'd tried that in the past, but with Bella it was different.

I called Carlisle after I was done being chewed out by Jasper, because I would also be needing a favor from him.

Then I headed over to the supermarket, listening to "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles, and of course thinking of Bella and the fact that our hands had practically been glued together the day before. It seemed like my hand fit perfectly with her small one, and the feeling it gave me made me never want to let go of her hand. For some reason, I really did just…want to hold her hand.

I was in love with her. I'd realized it yesterday after I kissed her. I knew I had definitely never been in love before, because I had certainly never had this feeling in the pit of my stomach before. It was sort of a pleasurable variation of nausea. In between having the urge to throw up, and wanting to shout my declaration of love from the top of the Empire State Building. Then I quickly snapped out of it and focused on the road. This thinking was making me question my masculinity.

Well, that was a little extreme, but I was definitely not ready to tell Bella that I loved her just yet. I was pretty sure that would send her running away screaming. At that thought, I was pretty sure that I would be keeping this feeling to myself for quite a while. I was fine with that.

I needed to get some basic essentials for the night's event. I wondered if an actual dinner should be included, and I decided that it didn't. And if I changed my mind, I would have all day tomorrow to rectify the situation.

I walked out of the grocery store with about three bags filled with popcorn and just about every candy known to man. Then I wondered if Bella even liked any of this shit. _Yup, better include a meal,_ I told myself. Then I thought of something and called Bella.

"Edward?" she answered this time, I actually kind of missed her snarky response from our last phone call.

"Hey. So, Bella how are you in the kitchen?" I asked her.

"Are you trying to get me to cook for you when you won't even tell me where we are going, Mr. Cullen?" she asked, sounding amused yet frustrated at the same time.

"Well, I was planning our meal, and then I thought that I don't actually know what you like to eat. So I was wondering if you would be interested in packing something," I said, trying not to give away too much information. "That ought to give you a little more information about our date than you already had, right?"

"Hmm. I guess it couldn't hurt," she said. Now that I had that off of my plate, all I had to do was call Jasper and confirm that everything was in order with that Luke guy.

"Well then, I will see you tomorrow night," I told her, hopefully not sounding too eager, but not sure if I succeeded.

"Tomorrow night. At _nine_ it is," she said in mock anger. I just laughed at her for being so curious. At least she was interested in where I was taking her; that has to show that she's looking forward to spending time with me. Right?

"Goodbye, Bella," I said with another laugh.

"Bye, Edward."

**BPOV**

Sunday was a mess. I spent practically the entire day fighting against Alice's torture. I knew I would lose the fight against dress-up Bella.

She stuck me in that Convertible dress that she'd forced me to buy in Victoria's Secret a few weeks ago. I actually liked the color, though. It was a medium shade of blue, and fell just above my knee. She claimed that it was perfect since we didn't know where Edward was taking me because I could always use the 'convert' option. She wrote down instructions on how to twist the damned dress into a halter-top if we were going somewhere nice, which I highly doubted since I had made the Italian subs for us earlier. For now I just had the dress twisted up into normal-like sleeves, with the leftover fabric tied around my waist. I hoped that it would be casual or dressy enough to just stick with, because I had already tried changing this dress into a halter three times, and I wasn't looking forward to getting stuck in it again in front of Edward.

Then came the hair. The hair was the worst. Alice had it pinned loosely to my head, and she had attacked me with the curling iron. My hair was one big pile of curls, but it actually looked pretty. However, I had so many bobby pins stuck in my hair, that if I was put in front of a giant magnet I was pretty sure I would be pulled to it head-first. Why did she have to use the metal ones? They hurt.

When Alice was finally finished, she left me to be in peace, and it was only a few minutes later that Edward knocked at the door. I'd given him my address during our phone conversation last night. When I answered the door, I was lucky that I caught the gasp that had almost escaped my lips.

Edward was dressed in dark jeans, with a white button-down shirt on, and a black blazer. His hair was its usual mop of bronze, and I must say that I preferred it that way. When I was finally done with my once…twice-over of his body, I finally looked into his absurdly green eyes.

He smiled as soon as I met his gaze. "Bella, you look…" was all he said.

I smiled back at him. "Well, so do you," I said with a small laugh. I grabbed the sandwiches, and walked out the door, as Edward took my hand. I loved the way he always held my hand.

I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw what was in front of us. "Is _that…_?" I said in astonishment.

"A 1965 classic Mustang convertible?" he said, actually sounding a little smug.

"Pretty," was the only word that escaped my lips. He laughed and nodded. I'd always wanted a classic red mustang, and I'd never even been in one.

"It's Carlisle's. He let me borrow it for the special occasion," he told me.

"Edward, I'm not exactly the Queen of England or anything. This is seriously the most awesome car I've ever laid eyes on."

"Bella, you're certainly enough to warrant me borrowing ol' Sally," he said. I immediately laughed, hysterically.

"You're father…named his Mustang…Sally?" I managed to get out between fits of laughter.

"Yeah, he did. He thought it would be funny," Edward told me as he began to laugh with me. He opened the passenger door for me, and I hopped in.

"So, _now_ do I get to know where we're going?"

"Nope," he said with a smirk. Then he smiled at me crookedly as he started up the gorgeous car. _Damn_, that smile was going to give me a heart attack one of these days.

The urgency to constantly be touching him, which had been present on both our parts the other day, had faded slightly. However, it had not completely dissipated. I still had the urge to jump into his lap and do some very X-rated things to him. The man had a body that was to die for, I was seriously beginning to think that if I ever touched his ass that my hands would be met with actual steel. Not to mention his perfect arms. They weren't slight by any means, and they weren't overly muscular.

Every now and then, I would look over at Edward, and he would look back at me and we would both smile.

After driving for about a half an hour, we pulled up to what appeared to be a large barn house. Edward beeped the horn and pulled in front of it.

"Where are we?" I asked. I was officially confused.

He got out of his seat without a word, and went around the back of the car to get something from the trunk. "Edward? What…?" I seriously had no idea what he was planning, and I was pretty sure he knew it too, because he had a smug look on his face the entire time. He came back to the driver's seat holding a small cooler. He handed it to me, and I took it and placed it in my lap.

Just as I did that, a light came on from behind us. I looked back to where it was coming from, and then back towards the barn. Before I knew it, the opening credits to _Sabrina_, starring Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart were being projected onto the giant building in front of us.

I took in a sharp breath. "Edward, I love this movie. How did you know?" I asked with a smile that was evident in my voice.

"You told me. On the phone Friday night, remember?" he asked. So that's what was with the twenty questions about what movies I liked. He was good.

"Well, open it," he said, pointing to the cooler that I had forgotten on my lap, with that self-satisfied smile still on his face.

I opened it like he told me to. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I bought pretty much every candy known to man," he said with a laugh. Inside the cooler, there were approximately twenty different kinds of candy, most of which I actually liked, everything from Snicker's to Red Vines. _Good job, Edward._ I simply looked up at him and smiled. "Check the glove compartment," he instructed. When I opened it, there were two small buckets of popcorn inside, and I handed one to him. I was sure I had the biggest shit-eating grin on my face, but I didn't care at all.

He turned to face me. "You like it? It was just something I cooked up at the last minute."

"Edward, I love it. It's incredible," I told him honestly. I leaned over and kissed him softly, a silent thanks for putting this all together.

"So, why did I make these sandwiches again?" I asked, holding up the bag that held the Italian subs.

"Well, I wasn't sure if you liked any of this junk, so I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to starve you," he said as he chuckled. I just smiled. He thought of everything.

"Well, I hope you like Italian subs, because that's what I made," I told him. I took them out of the bag and handed one to him.

"I love them. Nice choice," he told me. He opened the foil that the sandwich was wrapped in, and took a bite of it. He chewed with a skeptical look on his face, so I couldn't tell what he thought. Then he turned to me. "Bella, that is the best fucking sandwich I have ever tasted."

I blushed. "Well, thank you," I said quietly.

"Have you ever seen this movie?" I whispered to him when he was done eating.

I had only managed to get through half of my sandwich.

"Loads of times. It's actually one of my favorites too. I love Bogie,' he said. I laughed at Humphrey Bogart's nickname.

"You know, I've never even been to a drive-in before?" I told him. It was true, and I'd always wanted to do it, too.

"Really? Well, I'm glad I got to give you your first drive-in movie."

I couldn't believe that Edward had put all of this together just for me. We were watching the movie with our hands intertwined, resting on Edward's lap. I decided I needed to repay him for his gesture. Although, I didn't know if it would be repaying him as much as it would be torture. I guess I would just have to wait and see.

I unclasped my hand from his and began to run it up and down his thigh slowly. Not gently, but not forcefully either. I kept my eyes on the screen, even when I felt Edward look at me. I kept rubbing his thigh for a few minutes, both afraid that I would make Edward uncomfortable, and because I was afraid that if I didn't stop soon, I would jump him right then. With every pass of my hand, Edward's excitement became more obvious, so I decided to cease my caresses, and take his hand to hold it in mine again. Now it was my turn to have the smug smile on my face.

After that, we talked through most of the movie. Sometimes about the movie, other times just about useless, random crap that no one really cares about. It felt like I could sit in that car and talk to him forever. Talk to him until we were both dying of dehydration and starvation, and I probably wouldn't even care if we did.

As soon as the movie ended, I turned to face him. "Edward?"

"Yes, Bella?" he said as he turned to face me, before starting the car.

"All night I've had the most terrible impulse to do something," I said, hoping he would catch on to my reference to the scene in _Sabrina_ when Audrey Hepburn tells Humphrey Bogart that she has a terrible urge to do something, and she ends up fixing the homburg on his hat. I was pretty sure Edward did catch on, because he smirked at me and spoke.

"Oh, never resist an impulse, Bella. Especially if it's terrible." Yep. He definitely caught on.

"Alright, I'll do it!" I said. Then I leaned over and grabbed a fistful of his hair before I pulled my face to his and kissed him forcefully. He kissed me back without any hesitation, and our tongues began to dance. He grabbed the back of my neck and pulled my body closer to his. I put the arm that wasn't tangled in his hair, around his neck, getting me even closer to his gorgeous form.

He tasted so sweet on my tongue, and I realized what the sweet smell I had detected faintly the other day on the boat was. Edward smelled slightly of sweet honey. It was wonderful, and I reveled in it.

If I got any closer to him, I would have ended up on his lap. Plus, I did have a rather annoying need to breathe, so I reluctantly pulled away. Edward looked at me with a remorseful expression. "What was that for?" he asked me. I was confused as to his reaction, but then I realized that he was still playing along with the role-playing. I smiled at him.

"We can't have you walking around _Champs Elysses_ looking like a tourist undertaker!" I said, quoting Sabrina's response to Linus. I barely managed it without laughing. Then Edward started to laugh, so I joined him.

As soon as we were finished laughing, he started the car and began to drive back towards civilization. Well, however close to civilization Forks was.

We drove in comfortable silence for the most part. When we pulled back up to my house, Edward quickly got out of his seat to open my door, and he walked me to the door. I felt like I was seventeen, and I told him so.

"Well, hopefully when we both move to Seattle, this we'll feel more like we're adults," he said. I didn't even think he realized that he'd just alluded to the fact that we would still be dating in two months. I did a little inner happy dance.

I laughed at his statement. "You're right. I'll be so happy to have my own pace after this," I said as I laughed again.

I looked back to where the Mustang was parked in the driveway. "Goodnight Sally," I said in a sad voice. Edward laughed at me.

"Do I have competition?" he asked as he placed his hand over his chest, pretending to be hurt.

I thought I would tease him. "That depends," I said.

"On what?"

"On what you do next," I told him.

He leaned in and kissed me softly. "Nope. No competition at all," I murmured against his lips. I wanted to go further, but we were outside my front door, and I knew that both my parents were home. _I'm twenty-two, I'm twenty-two_, I kept chanting to myself. I laughed as I pulled away from him, and he gave me a questioning look.

"So, like Edward, I had like, a really great time," I said in a squeaky teenager voice, while twirling a piece of my hair with my finger.

He laughed, pretty hysterically too. "Totally, Bella," he said while looking at the ground as if he were afraid to look at me. Then he looked at me and got serious again. "Can I call you tomorrow?" he asked. _Yes!_

"Sure," I said simply as he kissed me one last time.

"Goodnight, Bella."

"Goodnight, Edward."


	9. Nobody Knows Me At All

**Alright, this one isn't my favorite chapter. I had a bit of difficulty with it. It's kind of one of those filler chapters, and once everyone moves to Seattle things will get more interesting. Woo!**

**The link for the song in this chapter is up on my profile, and I suggest a viewing because the video is kinda cute, and mostly because one of the guys is sporting a New Paltz t-shirt, which is where I go to school. And because the song makes me super happy =]**

**Thanks for all your reviews, and to my beta KlutzyGoldsfish. Reviews = teaser!**

***I don't own Twilight, but I do have a very sad-looking dog who looks like she really wants to go frolic in the grass right now. Damned rain.***

**BPOV**

I woke up Monday morning and immediately smiled, remembering the previous night's events. My date with Edward was better than I imagined it would have been, and I didn't think that was possible. Everything that man did made me want to jump his bones, and then he had to go and be all romantic about it. He didn't play fair, but I certainly wasn't going to complain.

Then my smile momentarily faded, because I realized that I was giving in to this power that he had over me, a little too quickly for comfort. I was determined not to get myself hurt again after Jake.

Then I decided that I would rather feel this way than feel worried about it, so I let it go and my smile was back in full swing.

I hopped downstairs to the kitchen, where I found Renee cooking something that smelled wonderful. Mmmm French toast. "Morning Mom. How was Port Angeles?" I asked.

"Oh, good morning Bella! It was spectacular! I made a killing out there," she told me. "So, did you have fun last night?" she asked with a curiously devious look on her face. Leave it to my mother to hope for sex on the first date.

"Yeah, I did actually," I admitted as the smile from earlier returned to my face, giving away exactly how much fun I did have. "Nothing happened though, sorry mom," I said with a laugh, just to clarify, because that was always best with Renee.

"I'm so glad for you Bella. It's about time you got back on the horse," she said as she put her arm around my shoulder.

"Yeah, well if I'm being honest, I couldn't exactly say no to Edward. I can't even imagine saying no to him. I just didn't want to," I told her honestly. I didn't think I was making any sense, because I couldn't even explain to myself why I wasn't the least bit hesitant about Edward. I never thought twice about going out with him, or kissing him, or talking to him. I just felt comfortable with him.

She smiled at me and kissed my cheek. "Go sit down breakfast will be ready in a minute," she said. Just then Charlie walked into the kitchen.

"Morning Bells," he said as he sat down. "How was your date with Edwin?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's Edward, Dad. And it was fun. He borrowed his father's Mustang and took me to an old barn house where he had a projector set up and we watched _Sabrina._"

Charlie just grunted and picked up his newspaper. Well, a grunt from Charlie probably meant that the date wasn't just romantic in my head.

"Charlie Swan. Do I have to remind you every day not to read the paper at the table?" scorned my mother. I laughed, because this was practically a daily occurrence. It was their thing so to speak. Then Renee would let it go, and Charlie would continue reading. I marveled at their happiness because whenever they fought, two seconds later they were making goo-goo eyes at each other. It was how I knew that they loved each other, nothing either of them said or did could ever change how they felt.

* * *

The next week with Edward was pure bliss. We went out three times, and each time it got better. I was starting to feel extremely comfortable with him, and that both thrilled me, and scared me shitless. I was afraid to let go completely, yet I couldn't find it in me to be troubled enough to care. He was making me feel happy, and that was all my mind could focus on.

Tuesday I had a mid shift at Gourmet, and Edward had a late shift at the hospital, so we couldn't go out again, which we both wanted to do because I hadn't seen him since Saturday night. We already had a date for Friday night, which was the next time both of us were off at the same time. Alice and I were working the same shift, and she was eager to hear about all of my dates with Edward, because we'd both been so busy we hadn't seen each other since last Sunday when she left my house before date number one with Edward. It was too long to go without seeing your best friend in my opinion.

Since we couldn't go out, Edward was coming by the restaurant when I took my break, so we could spend some time together.

At one o'clock I strolled into the restaurant, and immediately couldn't wait until I took my break at four, when Edward said he would swing by. Alice and I were on the same shift today, so we drove together.

"Tell me again, Bella," she asked me after I finished telling her about the time I had been spending with Edward, particularly about the first date. She'd already heard the whole story, but for some reason she wanted to hear it again. I didn't mind telling it, but it didn't change so I was just confused as to why she wanted to keep hearing it.

"It doesn't get any dirtier, Alice. You do realize this, right?" I asked her.

"I know, but I need to take notes for Jasper," she said with a laugh. I continued making the pizza that I'd been working on, spreading the sauce, and adding my own little pinch of Parmesan cheese to it, before I added the mozzarella. I always thought that made the pizza taste better because I'd always loved the contrasting tastes of the two cheeses. I was such a pizza dork.

"Edward is coming by while I'm on my break," I told her. "He said that he wanted to see me today, but he has a late shift at the hospital tonight, and he didn't want to wait until Friday night."

"Oh, Bella. You've so got him wrapped around your finger," she said as she began to laugh hysterically.

"Alice! I do not! Honestly, I didn't want to wait until Friday night either, so there," I said as I stuck my tongue out at her like a four year-old.

"I knew it!" she said as she pointed a finger at me. I gave her a confused look for a second, and then realized that I'd fallen into her trap. Drat. She wanted me to admit that I really wanted to see Edward today, which I normally wouldn't have done.

"Whatever, Al. You win," I said as I rolled my eyes at her.

The next three hours were perhaps the slowest in my life. Every time the door opened, my head shot up to see if it was Edward. I knew it was stupid, but I couldn't help myself.

When he finally walked in, the cheek-paining smile was back. He smiled back at me and walked over to the counter. Those deep pools of green were staring back at me, and the whole restaurant could have gone up in flames and I would still be staring into them without moving from where I was standing.

"Hey," he said. Before I could even respond, I shouted towards the back room to Mike.

"Mike! I'm going on my break!" Edward laughed at my eagerness, but only because I could see the same eagerness in his eyes. I walked out from behind the counter, and he immediately grabbed my hand.

When we got around to the parking lot, before I knew it, Edward had my back to his shiny Volvo, and his lips were on mine before I even had the chance to speak. "Hey," I said as his lips aligned with mine. He pulled back and smiled, while tucking a lock of my hair that had fallen out of my ponytail behind my ear.

He pressed his lips back to mine with his hands on either side of my head, against the car. I enveloped my lips into his, until I realized that we were outside in the middle of the parking lot, but he beat me to it.

"Mmm. How much time do you have?" he whispered against my lips.

I sighed, because no amount of time seemed like enough once the jerk kissed me. "About half an hour…but I don't have to go back," I said as I wrapped my arms around his neck and tried to deepen the kiss.

Edward pulled away. "I'm worth getting fired for?" he asked me as he raised his eyebrows. I couldn't decide whether he was joking, or if he was serious. However, I decided that I would rather be kissing him than answering his question.

"Definitely," I said as I leaned back in for another kiss. Edward stopped me.

"No, Bella really. That guy Mike is way too jealous to let it go if you don't go back. I'm not letting that happen."

"Relax, Edward. I was only kidding. Now, where would you like to go on this lovely afternoon?" I asked him as I took his hands in mine. I had a feeling he might be right about Mike, but I wasn't going to let that stop us.

"I hadn't planned anything but what we're currently doing," he admitted. I was totally fine with that. On the other hand, I didn't want to continue it in the middle of the parking lot.

"Okay, let's go for a ride then," I told him. I had a spot in mind that would be perfect. He smiled and opened the passenger door for me, and I got into the car. A few moments later, he was starting up the car and I was giving him directions to the spot I had in mind.

There was a small meadow not too far from where we were, behind a park. It was the perfect place to bring Edward. Plus, it was also a bonus that we wouldn't have to sit in his car.

The last time I was in the meadow, I had been with Jacob. He'd found me here after we'd broken up, and his visit didn't end on a good note. I wanted to rid myself of the sour memories that this place now had for me, because I'd had so many good memories here before that. I had a feeling that coming here with Edward would bring back the good feelings this place used to give me.

"Where are we?" Edward asked when he pulled to the trees that hid the meadow, which was only about a hundred feet behind them.

"You'll see, now come on," I told him as I got out of the car. He followed me and grabbed my hand as we walked towards the meadow.

When we were finally through the trees, after I'd only managed to trip once, Edward smiled. "It's nice," he said. I was relieved that he had a good reaction to the place.

"I used to come here a lot, but it's been a while," I admitted. I wasn't sure how successful I was in hiding the sadness behind my words. We found a nice spot on the grass, and sat beside each other. I was leaning into Edward's side while he had his arm wrapped around my shoulders. I turned my head to his, and he leaned in to kiss me.

"This spot is perfect," he told me. I smiled around his lips, glad that he like it, and happy that the bitter memories were finally starting to dissipate.

"I'm glad you like it." I ran my tongue along his bottom lip, and he opened his mouth, and our tongues collided. I twisted my body so I could deepen the kiss, and grabbed a fistful of his hair. He had his hands around my waist, and his grip tightened as his tongue caressed mine and I let out a low moan. The pleasure he brought me was so overwhelming. I needed more.

My hand snaked under the front of his shirt and I started running my hands along his bare chest. A louder moan escaped his lips and surprisingly, he pulled away.

"What?" I asked, a little confused. He looked at me with a torn expression.

"Nothing. It's just…" he paused for a second. "I want to do this right, Bella. We've only been going out for a week, and I don't want to screw it up by rushing."

"Oh," was all I said. I felt hurt, which I knew was irrational, but I couldn't help it. I turned my head down so that I didn't have to look into his eyes. He wasn't having that. He pulled my head up by putting my chin in between his forefinger and his thumb, forcing me to look at him.

"Bella, I want you. Believe me I do. It's all I've been able to think about since our first date when you felt me up," he said with a laugh. I joined him, because I knew I'd had some affect on him, but I didn't know how much my little action had brought on.

"I'm sorry, I'm just being stupid," I said. Apparently he didn't like that either. He rolled his eyes, and shook his head. "No," he mouthed. But that was his only response to what I'd said. I guess he decided changing the subject would be better.

"Why did you stop coming here?" he asked me. Crap, I wanted to come here to rid myself of my memories of Jacob, not relieve them. Since he had caught me off guard, all I could do was shrug.

"Bella?" he knew I was avoiding the question. _Alright, let's just get this over with,_ I thought to myself.

**EPOV**

Even though Bella had only mentioned that she hadn't been to this spot in a while, I could sense that there was more to it than that. I wanted to know why she stopped coming to a place that seemed to bring her peace.

She let out a heavy sigh. "The last time I was here was over spring break. I'd just broken up with Jacob, my ex, and he found me out here and he tried to get me back," she said. I knew that there was more to the story she wasn't telling me.

"What happened?"

"Just before that, back at UW, I found him cheating on me with his tutor. He lives down at La Push, so he was here at the same time I was. He came here to beg me to take him back. I couldn't be around him any longer, so I left him here and I haven't been back since," she told me. I felt so badly for her. I wanted to kick the shit out of whoever this guy Jacob was who cheated on her.

"Bella, I'm so sorry," I told her as I hugged her tightly to me. It sounded like an inadequate response compared to how I felt. "I know that sounds lame, but it's true. Whoever he was had to be a complete and total idiot to cheat on you." She hugged me tightly for a moment.

"Thank you Edward," she said, her voice muffled because her face was buried in my chest.

"Nothing to thank me for Bella," I said as I kissed the top of her head.

I leaned into her and placed a soft kiss on her lips. When I pulled back to look into her eyes again, the sadness that had been there a moment before had almost completely melted away. I smiled at her, and she smiled back. It made me happy to know that I was comforting her. We sat there for a few more moments before she shifted beneath me and reached into her back pocket.

"I forgot there was something I wanted to show you," she said as she pulled out her iPod.

"Oh? What would that be?" I asked.

"One of my favorite bands, The Weepies. I noticed that you didn't have any of their music while I was snooping through your iPod the other day, so I thought I would share them with you," she said with a smile.

She put one earbud in my ear, and one in hers. A second later I heard the light sounds of an acoustic guitar. The song wasn't bad, I liked it actually, which surprised me. The lyrics actually reminded me a little bit of Bella, which was probably mostly why I liked it. "What's this song called?" I asked her.

"'Nobody Knows Me At All,'" she said. It definitely suited her.

"I like it," I told her. "I think it suits you."

"Me?"

"Yes. You only let people see what you want them to. You love your life, but you never let people see the real you," I said simply. It wasn't meant to offend her, it was just what I saw in her, and I wanted to be the one to know her. Inside and out I wanted to know this girl.

"Well apparently it doesn't work as well as I thought," she said with a nervous laugh.

"No, Bella. I'd like to think that I could get to know you. Take it as a challenge, because it does work that well."

She smiled at me and I kissed her. I wished we could have stayed in that meadow. It was like we were in our own small bubble out there, and I wanted it to last forever. Well, at least an hour maybe.

A few minutes later, I realized that I had to get Bella back to work, before that Mike guy went all crazy on her because of me. I had a feeling he would do something along those lines, because I could see right through him. I could see that he didn't want her, or love her, like I did. He would let his own feelings consume him in a second and end up hurting her.

"Come on, up you go," I said to Bella as I stood up and held out my hand to her. She took it and we began walking back to the Volvo.

"So, any chance you have plans to go back to the meadow soon?" I asked. I hoped I helped her forget the memories that place now had for her.

"Definitely," she said quickly. "Well, provided I had the right company." I smiled at that and lifted our intertwined hands so I could kiss hers.

When I pulled back into the parking lot of Gourmet, Bella looked at me with a remorseful expression, and I was pretty sure my face looked pretty similar. I really didn't want to leave her, since I wouldn't see her until Friday night. I leaned in for one last kiss.

"I'll see you Friday?" I mumbled against her sweet lips.

She groaned, and I felt the vibration on my lips, which increased my arousal. "Absolutely," she said as she pulled away and got out of the car.

I waved to her as she entered the restaurant, and began to wonder what the hell I was going to do with myself until Friday.

_When I was a child everybody smiled  
Nobody knows me at all  
Very late at night and in the morning light,  
Nobody knows me at all_

_I got lots of friends, yes, but then again,  
Nobody knows me at all  
Kids and a wife, it's a beautiful life,  
Nobody knows me at all_

_Oh when the lights are low  
Oh with someone I don't know_

_I don't give a damn, I'm happy as a clam,  
Nobody knows me at all  
Ah, what can you do? There's nobody like you.  
Nobody knows me at all_

_I know how you feel, no secrets to reveal,  
Nobody knows me at all  
Very late at night and in the morning light,  
Nobody knows me at all  
Nobody knows me, nobody knows me,  
Nobody knows me at all_


	10. Tell Her About It

**Here's chapter 9! This is probably going to be the last chapter for a while because I have a Broadway show and a concert this week, so I won't be around for a while, *sigh* This chapter isn't really eventful, but things have to be set up, dig? LOL. I hope you all enjoy the fluff!**

**Thank you to KlutzyGoldfish, even though she's gone AWOL this afternoon, so an additional thanks to hgbkwrm for being my temp-beta for this chapter. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and teasers for all of you as usual. **

**I don't own Twilight, unless you count my worn-out copy of the book.**

**EPOV**

Wednesday afternoon around three, I finally woke up after my over-night shift at the hospital. I headed downstairs, and something that smelled delectable was coming from the kitchen. _Sugar cookies_. My mother always made her grandmother's old-fashioned sugar cookies whenever she wanted to butter-up one of her sons. I just hoped it wasn't me this time.

"Hey Mom," I said. Okay, so I lied. Those cookies were totally worth whatever it was she wanted from me. If she wanted something from me.

"Edward, you're finally up!" Why did no one understand a man's need to sleep after an over-night shift that didn't end until six o'clock in the morning? I nodded my head and decided that I needed to get the skinny on the cookies.

"What's the special occasion?"

"What do you mean, honey?"

Oh, so it was going to be like that. "The cookies. You don't usually make them, I thought there might be a reason."

"There's no reason, Edward. Does a mother need a reason to bake her son cookies after he's had a hard day's work at the hospital?" Uh-oh, I was in trouble. Normally she was shameless when the cookies showed up. I had a feeling that there was a sneak-attack in my future. There was no way to get around Esme once she had her mind set on something, so I decided to give in and not question it further.

"Of course not, Mom," I said, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

After a little while, I'd gotten through about three cookies when Esme finally attacked.

"So dear, how is Bella?" she asked. I nearly spat out the cookie that I had been chewing. How did she even know Bella's name? I had thought that all my mother knew was that I'd taken out the same girl a few times last week. What the hell?

"What? Who told you about Bella, mother?" I asked in a curious voice, trying not to sound angry with her.

"I baked cookies yesterday while you were at the hospital," she shrugged, and I waited for her to continue. "Your brother and Rosalie were here," she finally admitted. I was going to kill Emmett.

"Oh, well, she's fine. We're going out again Friday night."

"Do you think she would like to have dinner here sometime?" she asked. I knew that I was not ready to bring Bella here to meet my family. We'd only been going out - or together, for a week and a half. I wasn't even sure we had a label yet.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Mom. We've only been going out a little over a week. Maybe after we've been dating a while okay?"

"Sure dear. That sounds reasonable to me. I guess I just got a little bit overexcited that you found someone is all." Now that I thought about it, with the exception of Tanya, I hadn't gone out with the same girl more than once in years. Just one more shred of proof that Bella was different.

Wednesday night, I chewed Emmett out for telling Esme about Bella.

"Dude, how much did you tell her?" I asked. Not that he knew how I really felt, but I felt like he broke some kind of brotherly code.

"I told her that Bella was pregnant with your baby and that you were getting married," he said with a smirk on his face. "Relax, man. All I told her was that Bella was the girl who saved you on the boat, and the same girl you'd taken out three times last week. No harm, no foul."

"Whatever, Em. I know she used the sugar cookies on you," I said with a laugh. Emmett was no match for Esme and her cookies.

"Can I show you something?" he asked me.

"Shoot."

He got up from the couch and went into his bedroom with me following behind him. He went into his closet and pulled out a shoebox. He lifted the top off the box, reached into it and pulled out a small jewelry box. _Holy shit._

He handed it to me and I opened it. Yup, the fool was going to propose to Rosalie. "Em, is this what I think it is?"

"Yeah. I got it the other day, and if I know Rose, I know that she'll love this ring," he said with a smile on his big-idiot face. I was actually happy for him.

"Well good luck getting her to say yes," I said as I shut the box and handed it back to him.

"Dude, I don't need any help being nervous, so shut it." He actually did look scared shitless.

"Chill man, she's definitely going to say yes. How could she say no when she looks at this face," I teased, pinching his cheeks. He pushed me away, but I noticed the smile he now has on his face.

Thursday night at eight, I headed over to the hospital, tapping my hands on the steering wheel as I sang along with Billy Joel's 'Tell Her About It.' It seemed like every song I listened to lately reminded me of Bella. I wasn't complaining though.

We had a date planned for Friday night, and before I left for the hospital I'd called her to let her know when I would pick her up, and where I had made our reservations.

After a few hours, I got a page from the front desk, telling me that I had a visitor. It wasn't from the ER, so I wasn't worried. I walked out into the lobby and found Bella standing there with Tupperware in her hands. Her back was to me, so she didn't see me walk in.

I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. "Hey," I whispered into her ear. She turned around to face me with a smile on her gorgeous face.

She kissed me, and for a moment I forgot that we were in the hospital lobby, so I pulled back. "What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"Oh, is it okay that I'm here? I wasn't sure but I decided I would come anyway," she said as she blushed a light shade of red. If she only knew how crazy that blush made me.

"It's more than okay that you're here," I said as I grabbed her hand and lead her over to the break room.

"I wanted to bring you some food that was leftover from dinner," she said as she shrugged her shoulders. I wasn't going to complain if my girl wanted to bring me food, I'd be happy if it was terrible. I was just glad she was here.

We walked into the room and I took the Tupperware from her hand and put it on the table. _Thank god there is no one in here right now, _I thought to myself as I grabbed her waist forcefully and leaned in for a passionate kiss. Before I knew it, I was pushing her against the wall, and my tongue was in her mouth.

I told her I wanted to take things slow with us, but it was so hard when I was near her. Every time I was near her, all I could think of was being with her. In the biblical sense.

She moaned into my mouth and reached around to grab my hair. I knew then that it was time to pull away, mostly because there was more than a handful of people that could walk in on us at any moment, one of those people being my father.

I had the urge to tell her I loved her when I stared into her eyes once I had pulled back, but I knew I couldn't do that.

"Sorry," she said as I stared at her pink, swollen lips.

"Please, Bella. I'm the one that should be sorry. Sorry for attacking you every time I see you, and sorry because the only reason I pulled away was because I had a horrifying image of my father and several other people walking in here," I said with a laugh.

She laughed along with me. "Well, don't be sorry for the first," she said as she placed a small kiss on my neck. "As for the second, you should be very sorry," she said with a wink. _God she is so fucking sexy._

I pulled her over to the table. "So, what did you bring me?"

She smiled as we sat down and pulled the lid off of the container, pushing it towards me. I looked down and saw the most delicious looking steak I'd ever seen. Plus, there were roasted potatoes and green beans in there too. _I definitely love her,_ I thought to myself.

"I love steak," I told her honestly and jumped up to find a knife and a fork. I sat back down and dove into the food. As soon as I tasted it, I had to recant my earlier statement. "I take that back," I said as I moaned in delight and chewed a huge piece of the steak. "I _fucking love_ steak." She laughed and I think my eyes rolled back into my head slightly.

"My mother asked me if you wanted to come and have dinner," I told her. "But I told her that I didn't think it was such a good idea because we've only been seeing each other for a little while." She nodded her head in agreement and I smiled, knowing this was my chance. "Plus, I don't even know what you are to me."

"What?" she asked as she whipped her head up to look at me.

"I didn't know if I should tell my mother you were my girlfriend. I don't know what we are," I told her honestly. "Bella, are you my girlfriend?" I asked as I looked up to meet her beautiful brown eyes.

Those eyes lit up a second later and she smiled. "I am if you want me to be, Edward."

I'm pretty sure my smile mirrored hers exactly. "Without a doubt," I said as I leaned across the table and kissed her, placing my hand over her cheek.

"I'm feeling pretty good about this decision," she said as I grabbed her hand to hold it in mine. I'd waited so long for Bella to be mine. Even though we hadn't been seeing each other for long, I'd known this girl for a month, I'd known that I wanted to be with her from the moment I saw her. And I knew that I loved her without a fraction of a doubt in my mind.

"Definitely."

"So I actually wanted to tell you something," she told me as she stared down at our intertwined hands. I was nervous for a moment, but I encouraged her to continue.

"Anything," I told her without looking into her eyes. Her eyes always told me how she was feeling.

"I found an apartment yesterday." Relief washed over me. I didn't know why, but I had a strange feeling she was going to tell me something else. I didn't know what that something else might have been, but I was glad to discover that wasn't it.

"That's great Bella," I said as I smiled at her. "When do you move in?"

"In a month," she told me. My heart sunk a little, because I didn't move into my place until September. Bella would be in Seattle an entire month before me. I would be alone in Forks, without her, for a month.

"Oh," was all I said at first. "I don't move in until September first." The smile that she'd had on her face fell slightly, and I stroked the hand I was holding with my thumb.

"I'll miss you," she said, still not looking at me. God I would miss her, she had no idea how much. But that was a whole month from now.

"Hey," I said as I lifted her chin so I could see her eyes. She began searching mine, I didn't know what she was looking for, but I told her what was there. "We still have a month until then. You might get sick of me before that," I said with a laugh. She rolled her eyes and hit my arm playfully.

"I doubt it, Edward." I kissed her cheek, and my beeper went off. I groaned and laid my forehead on the table. I felt Bella's hand caress my hair and I sighed. I lifted my head up to look at her, and she was smiling again. Her eyes told me she was happy, and as long as my girl was happy, then so was I. Whatever the reason was for my pager going off, it couldn't ruin the happiness I felt.

"Duty calls," said Bella as she placed her hand on my cheek. We were staring at each other, and I really needed to get back out into the hospital. I tilted my head so I could kiss her palm and nodded.

We both stood up and walked out of the room. I walked Bella out to the lobby and whispered in her ear. "One month, then do you know what happens, Bella?" I asked her, somewhat seductively. She shook her head. "After that lonely month, _we_ have the next month, and the next, and the next," I said as my voice got lower and lower with each word. I was standing behind her and I could still see her smile. She turned around and gave me one last kiss. "Until tomorrow night," I told her. _I love you._

"Goodnight," she said as she walked away. I watched her until she was out of sight, and then I had to remember where I was. Once I was out of my stupor, I turned and headed to the ER.

**BPOV**

As I was walking out of the hospital, I had to stop myself for a few moments to remember where I had parked my car. Edward wanted to be with me, and not just in the broad sense of the word, _girlfriend_, but in the 'hi this is Bella, my girlfriend' kind of way. I knew that sounded a little bit like something a typical sixteen year-old girl might say or think, but I didn't care. When I was with Edward, nothing was normal, and yet everything was normal at the same time. My head was swimming with all of these foreign feelings, and I was thriving on them.

The next two weeks were a complete haze. Everyday was a rush of packing, phone calls, running everywhere, and of course, Edward. I'm pretty sure the reason my days had become so hectic was because of how deeply he consumed my thoughts. I needed to have everything I owned packed away and moved to Seattle in two weeks, and all I managed to think about, successfully, was Edward.

I'd gotten a call from Eileen, the real estate agent that had shown Alice and I apartments in Seattle a few weeks ago, telling me that she'd found a place that was exactly what I had been looking for. She'd told me that if I wanted a chance at it, I had to get there that day and take a look, and so I called up Alice and we went. The place was perfect. It was a simple, one-bedroom place downtown, not too far from UW. I'd signed the lease that afternoon two weeks ago, and couldn't wait to move in. Of course, I was grateful to Grandma Swan, because if it wasn't for her small trust fund that she'd set up for me, I would not be able to move into my own place. It wasn't a large amount of money, but it was just enough to keep me afloat while I searched for a job and finished graduate school.

As I sat in my living room with Alice, my thoughts suddenly drifted to the entire month I would have to spend away from Edward after I moved to Seattle. I'd miss him like crazy, which actually did seem _crazy_ since we'd only been together – officially – for two weeks. Although, I felt like I'd known him forever, even if it sounded cheesy. We just fell into place with each other; it felt so natural to be with him.

"Earth to Bella," Alice said, interrupting my thoughts while waving her hand in front of my face.

"Huh?" I said, dumbfounded that I had no idea what she had been talking about.

She rolled her eyes at me and let out a frustrated sigh. "I _said_, do you want to go to the store and look for new bedding for your place?"

"Uh, sure Al. When?"

"I dunno, tomorrow night maybe?" she said, flipping through the channels on the television. I knew she wouldn't care when we went, as long as she got her opinion in on what color scheme my bedroom would be.

I shook my head. "No dice. Edward and I have a date," I told her as I blushed. I knew she was going to chew me out for this one, because Edward and I were practically glued to each other whenever it was possible. I smiled at the thought of actually being glued to Edward, and then giggled out loud because the concept was a bit ridiculous.

"Jeez, Bella! You two are attached at the freaking hips! And you haven't even had sex with him yet?" she asked. Yep, definitely getting chewed out.

"Sorry, Alice, but I'm going to be in Seattle a whole month before him, and he doesn't want to forget what I look like," I said with a laugh. "And no, we haven't had sex. Where do you presume we do it? In the car like a couple of seventeen year-olds?" I said, trying to challenge her statement. The truth was, I was dying to have Edward. I wanted to feel him, every inch of him, and I didn't know if I could wait much longer for it. I knew it couldn't happen before Seattle. It didn't seem right that way, like it just shouldn't happen until we're both there together. I was determined to be on him like white on rice as soon as we were, though.

"Okay, okay," she began waving her arms defensively. "Tomorrow afternoon is perfect, I'll make sure to pencil you in," she said and I laughed and rolled my eyes at her.

"So what about you and Jasper?" I asked. We hadn't really discussed their relationship, but I did know that it was going well.

"Let's just say that we're putting rabbits to shame," she said as she giggled and put her hand over he mouth. Not even a hint of embarrassment emanated from her. She amazed me.

"Nice Alice, real nice."

Friday night, after the torturous outing to Bed, Bath and Beyond with Alice, and since there was no trace of Charlie or Renee, Edward was coming over for dinner and a movie night. I was relieved when he didn't feel like going out either, because a night at home with my boyfriend was exactly what I needed after the past two weeks, and the upcoming two weeks.

When I heard a knock at the door, just as I was tossing the pasta into the water, I answered it and found Edward standing there with a single white rose in his hand. He was wearing a simple blue t-shirt and dark wash jeans, with his hair looking wind-blown. Even in the simplest clothing, the man took my breath away.

"Hey gorgeous," he said to me as he stepped through the doorway. I blushed as he said that and handed me the rose. I swear I'd prefer one rose from Edward than a hundred from anyone else. I took it from him as he leaned in to kiss me.

"Hey yourself," I said as I led him into the kitchen.

He took in a deep breath once we were inside. "Jesus, Bella, it smells amazing in here. What's on the menu?" he asked.

"Just some spaghetti that I whipped up at the last minute." Well, it was mostly true. I had to whip it up last minute because I'd spent the remainder of my afternoon mulling over what to cook. He smiled and helped me through the rest of the preparation.

After dinner we decided to watch Transformers, which I partially insisted on since the new movie was coming out, but Edward agreed because he hadn't seen it. When it was over, I got him to admit that it wasn't half bad, and he even agreed to go see the new film with me.

As we sat through the credits, I was looking over at Edward, and suddenly I couldn't help myself. I lifted my hand up to his neck and pulled myself over to him, and I was crushing his mouth with mine.

Our tongues pushed and shoved against each other, and before I knew it, Edward had moved forward on the couch so that I was pressed underneath his body.

I knew that if we didn't stop soon that it was going to go too far. Well, too far for a night on my parent's couch when one of them could arrive home at any minute. In any other circumstances, I'd be screaming 'all aboard!' But then he began to snake his hands underneath my shirt, moving slowly up my sides. Everything went out the window after that.

I threw my arms around him and grabbed a fist full of his hair with one hand and his shirt in the other. I moved both of my hands to the bottom hem of his t-shirt and slowly pulled it off his body. He sat up slightly so that I could pull it over his head and then his mouth moved to my neck. He was sucking on it so fiercely that I was sure I would have an evident hickey, but I couldn't care less. I was so concentrated on feeling every curve of him. I was running my hands up and down his toned arms like it was nobody's business. He cupped my breasts in his hands, through the material of my bra and groaned into my neck.

He shoved his hardness into my hips and I let out a strangled moan as he moved his mouth back to mine. Suddenly, I had a terrifying image of Charlie walking into the house and finding us like this, and I was afraid for Edward's life.

"Edward…" I began, and it came out as more of a question. I knew this had to stop, but I was going to need his help.

He pulled his head back so he could look at me, his lips red and swollen. "Yes, sweetheart?" he asked, moving a piece of hair that had fallen in my face. I was pretty sure he caught on to the tone in which I'd said his name, and he somehow sensed that we needed to stop.

"We need…we need to stop," I managed to choke out. "We can't do it like this, Charlie could be home any second," I told him reluctantly.

He dropped his head onto my shoulder and removed his hands from underneath my shirt, and placed them on my shoulders. "You're absolutely right, Bella. I'm sorry," he mumbled against my arm.

"You're sorry?" I began. Was he crazy? "I was the one who attacked you, and believe me, Edward, I want it to happen. God I can't wait until we're both in Seattle," I said with a laugh. He slowly sat up, hissing, most likely from the friction in his jeans. I almost giggled out loud, but decided I had tortured him enough for one evening.

"You mean I have to wait a month and a half to have you, Miss Swan?" he asked me, and I nearly said _fuck it_ and jumped him again as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Oh his red, swollen mouth…

"I'm afraid so. Unless you want to do it in the Mustang," I said. I wasn't serious, not for our first time anyway, but it did sound like a good idea to put away for future use. His eyes bugged out of his head for a moment before he composed himself and shook his head.

"I better get going then," he said as he slowly got up off of the couch and me. I really did not want him to go at all. I got up quickly after him as he was pulling his shirt back over his head. I stood up on my toes and hugged him.

"I don't want you to go," I whispered in his ear. He squeezed me back and I knew that meant _neither do I._ He kissed my cheek and put his arm around my waist as we walked to the door.

He leaned in to place one last kiss on my lips as he whispered "goodnight" into my ear. I just stood there like a mute, because he was just so perfect. I watched him get into his car and peel out of the driveway. I smiled to myself as I shut the front door and cursed my own timing. Then I began counting the hours until I was alone with Edward in my bedroom, in Seattle.

After I cleaned up from our dinner and showered, I looked over at my clock. _One down, nine hundred and fifty-nine to go_, I thought to myself. This was going to be the longest month and a half of my life.

_Oh my life is changing everyday  
In every possible way  
And oh my dreams  
It's never quite as it seems  
Never quite as it seems_

_I know I felt like this before  
But now I'm feeling it even more  
Because it came from you  
Then I open up and see  
The person falling here is me  
A different way to be_

_I want more, impossible to ignore  
Impossible to ignore  
And they'll come true  
Impossible not to do  
Impossible not to do_

_And now I tell you openly  
You have my heart so don't hurt me  
You're what I couldn't find  
A totally amazing mind  
So understanding and so kind  
You're everything to me_

_Oh my life is changing everyday  
In every possible way  
And oh my dreams  
It's never quite as it seems  
Cause you're a dream to me  
Dream to me_


	11. As Long As You're Mine

**BPOV**

Edward and I were sitting in his Volvo, with Alice in her car and Charlie and Renee in my truck not far behind us, on our way to Seattle. I'd originally decided that Edward would stay in Forks when I left to move in, but he suggested that he could be of some help with the whole process, and he was right. There were exactly four boxes that fit perfectly in the back of the Volvo. Plus, it was about eight more hours that I wouldn't be missing him.

I could tell that he sensed my mood, because he reached over the console and grabbed my hand, stroking the outside of it with his thumb. "It will be September first before you know it," he reassured me.

"I know," I said simply and gave him a small smile. I wasn't sure if it fooled him, but as soon as he looked into my eyes, his eyes seemed to soften and he took our interlaced fingers and kissed my knuckles. My heart ached a little as he did this, because I knew it would be too long before I would see or feel him do it again.

When we finally arrived at my apartment in Seattle, Edward's mouth fell open. "Bella, this is _your_ building?" he asked me.

"Um…yes?" I replied, confused as to why he was asking me when he'd never even seen the place. "Why?"

"This is my building," he said in a tone that sounded like a mixture between shock and exultance. When I first heard his words, I was unsure about how I felt about Edward and I living in the same building. I wasn't sure how it would work, but I did have an entire month to think about it. Then my uncertainties disappeared when I saw Edward's smile as I turned to face him. Suddenly the idea of living so closely to him was very appealing.

A huge smile spread across my face. "Seriously? We're moving in to the same building?"

"So it seems," Edward said with a laugh. I joined him as he leaned in to kiss me softly.

We all moved my stuff in as quickly as we possibly could, which both relieved and worried me. I was in no hurry for this day to be over with, I didn't know how I was going to survive an entire month without Edward. School started in two weeks, and until then, I didn't even have a job to occupy my thoughts. Thank god Alice was staying with me until I went back to UW, otherwise I wasn't sure I could do this without Edward. Then I remembered how close we would be, every day, and all of my worries nearly dissipated.

Once everything was finally inside, of course Alice insisted that we start unpacking right away. I was relieved when Edward was also eager to help, giving me more time with him. We got a decent amount of all my things unpacked, my bedroom was mostly put together, which I was happy about, and the living room was still waiting for my new couch and a coffee table to be delivered. Alice and Renee had helped me pick out stuff for the kitchen, and Charlie had made sure that the refrigerator would be delivered today, along with the rest of the furniture for the living room.

Renee and Charlie left around three, leaving me alone with Alice and Edward. We were unpacking dishes in the kitchen when my stomach decided to tell everyone in the room that it wanted to be fed.

Edward laughed. "Are you hungry babe?" he asked me. it kind of sounded dirty for a second, but I quickly shook my head, in attempt not to torture myself further, and then nodded.

"Yeah, do you guys want to get Chinese or something?" I began. "Give us a chance to see what places are good around here," I said with a laugh.

"You know I saw a Chinese menu on the floor by the doorway, someone must have come by knowing that Bella moved in," Alice said with a small giggle. I turned to glare at her, but I knew she was right. I did love my Chinese food.

Once we finished what we could of the food, we settled down on my brand new, and fucking comfortable, new couch to watch an episode of _The Big Bang Theory_. Edward and I laughed the entire time, while Alice stared at us like we were crazy. That was another thing I loved about spending time with him, we had nearly identical senses of humor. Most of the apartment had been unpacked, but there were still boxes everywhere, and I still wanted to unpack more in my bedroom. Edward followed me, leaving Alice to talk to Jasper.

Edward and I were making up my new bed as we were listening to my iPod, which had been the first thing I'd hooked up in there. "I can't wait until the next time you're with me in here," I said with a nervous laugh. I never understood why I opened my mouth half the time, but it was still the truth.

"Neither can I, Bella, neither can I," he told me as we both sat down on the bed. I really wished that Alice wasn't in the next room. Edward took me into his arms and we laid there listening to the music. "What is this?" he asked me, referring to the song that was playing.

I smiled. "It's Keane. 'Somewhere Only We Know.' You don't know it?" I asked as I yawned.

"Actually I don't, but I like it," he said as I felt his lips on my hair. I inhaled his sweet scent and then everything was gone. I drifted into the most relaxing sleep I'd ever had.

The next thing I knew, the sun was shining in my eyes and I felt someone stroking my hair. Edward. I stretched my body and gripped his tightly. "You fell asleep here," I said in a sleepy voice, and not being able to hide the smile that this thought brought me.

He chuckled beneath me and the bed shook gently. "Yes, I did. You fell asleep and I didn't want to wake you, and I couldn't leave without saying goodbye." I pouted to myself and buried my face in his chest. We sat like that until we heard someone stumbling around in the living room, Alice.

Edward chuckled. "I guess I better be going soon," he said with sadness dripping from his voice.

I squeezed him tighter. "Coffee first," I said._ Anything to get him to stay here for five more minutes._

"Coffee first," he repeated. We got out of bed and found Alice had already started a pot, like she needed any caffeine.

"Morning!" she said, sounding chipper as a bird.

"Morning Al," I said. "How's that pull out couch?"

"Pretty damned comfortable, actually." Edward let go of my waist and headed into the cabinet to get three mugs for our coffee.

Once we all enjoyed some coffee, and some eggs that I insisted Edward eat before he headed back to Forks, Alice left the two of us alone to say our goodbyes. Once we reached the door, Edward pulled me into his arms.

"I'm going to miss you," I said simply.

"I'm going to miss you more," he challenged. I hugged him tighter. I never wanted to let go of him; I wanted to keep him here in my arms. I inhaled his perfect, sweet scent deeply. If I couldn't keep him here, then I at least wanted to have his scent bottled up for frequent use. He pulled my body back from his slightly so he could kiss me. It was gentle at first but then it started to build, and soon our tongues were moving against each other. I never wanted this moment to end. I gripped his hair, hoping that I could force him to stay. When I needed to breathe, I reluctantly pulled away.

He gazed into my eyes as he place his hand on my face and stroked my cheek with his thumb. "Goodbye Bella," he said.

"Goodbye, Edward," I replied. It felt like we were parting forever with the solemn vibe he was emanating from himself. He walked out the door after our brief words and I already felt lost. Why was he acting as if I would never see him again?

I turned around and swung the door open. Edward was still walking down the hallway and I ran after him. I ran into his arms and threw my arms around his neck. "One month, right?" I asked, as I stroked the nape of his neck, tears almost spilling over my eyes. Doubt filled my voice and I was afraid that he wouldn't want me a month from now.

The look in his eyes was a mixture of shock and sadness. His expression softened and he cupped my face in both of his hands. He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, they were shining with happiness and he was smiling. "It couldn't be here soon enough, Bella," he said simply as if he knew that I needed reassurance. He kissed me softly, and then we both pulled away from each other, keeping contact for as long as possible until we had to release our hands as he walked away. We were smiling at each other as he turned away, and I stood in the hallway until he got into the elevator. I still felt a little bit lost without him, but my mood was now hopeful. It was going to be a long month.

**EPOV**

My heart almost broke when Bella came running to me in the hallway. I could see in her eyes that she doubted what I was feeling, but leaving the woman you love for an entire month doesn't exactly call for a cheerful demeanor. I couldn't pretend that the situation was okay with me, but the second I saw her expression, the hurt and doubt in her eyes, that was one thing I could pretend for.

The drive home was lonely, but I knew that I would be keeping myself busy at the hospital for the next two weeks; I was taking the last two to make sure I had everything packed up for the move.

That night I sat in bed listening to 'Sky' by Joshua Radin, and immediately thought of the way Bella had thought I doubted our relationship. If she only knew how I was really feeling. _Then why don't you tell her, you moron?_ I knew I couldn't tell Bella that I was in love with her, she'd just gotten out of a bad relationship and I didn't want to scare her off.

The first week was the most lonely. I spent a lot of it in the hospital, trying to keep my thoughts occupied. Bella and I talked on the phone every night, and whenever we had free time during the day. After that first week was when we were both starting to feel the effects of being apart.

"Hello?" Bella answered Friday night, which was exactly one week after I'd left her in Seattle. She was yawning as she spoke.

"Hey beautiful. You sound tired, everything alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, I am. Alice has been wearing me out trying to get everything organized out here, plus dragging me shopping to pick up things that I really don't need. And I haven't really slept that well this week," she told me. "I can't wait for school to start so I'm not being towed around stores everyday," she said with a sleepy laugh. I really wanted to talk to her, but I didn't want to keep her awake.

"Babe are you sure you're awake? You sound like you could pass out any second," I told her with a nervous laugh, I was praying I could hear her voice for just a few minutes tonight.

"I'm fine, really. I want to hear your voice, I miss you."

If I was being honest, I was dead tired. I hadn't slept quite the same since the night I fell asleep with Bella on her bed. Every time I fell asleep alone, without her in my arms, I felt cold and alone. The night she slept in my arms was the happiest, most well rested I'd ever felt. "I miss you too, Bella," I said with a sigh; three more weeks until I could hold her again.

We talked about what she and Alice had been doing in preparation for Alice's departure to New York, and it involved a lot of shopping, which Bella wasn't too fond of. I briefly wondered what Jasper was going to do about Alice moving to the other side of the country. I would have to ask him.

"I have an interview at a school in the city next week," she told me. I could tell she was ready for sleep.

"That's great baby. I think you should get some sleep. You sound so tired," I told her, regret seeping into my voice. I really didn't want to say goodbye to her.

"I think you're right. I'll talk to you tomorrow. I miss you."

"I'll call you. I miss you too." _I love you._ We hung up and I headed to my cold, empty bed.

On Wednesday I finally got the chance to talk to Jazz, he stopped by the house. "Hey man," I said to him as he walked into the house and l led him up to my room where I'd been packing.

"Well, you're making progress, I see," he said with a chuckle. Most of my room had already been packed, because I was so eager to get back to Bella.

"Jazz, what are you going to do when Alice goes to New York?"

"Honestly, Edward I have no idea. We haven't really talked about it. There's no way I can let her go though," he said, his voice sounding poignant.

"Have you told her you love her?" I asked. I was curious, Jazz always seemed to sense what others were feeling, so he probably knew if Alice loved him back.

He shook his head. "What about you and Bella?"

"I know how I feel about her, but I knew she just got out of a bad relationship with that asshole Jacob, so I don't want to scare her off," I told him honestly.

"You should wait. Alice told me some about what happened with her and that Jake guy, and it sounds like you shouldn't rush her." Well that was all the reassurance I needed.

"Thanks Jazz."

After my last day at the hospital, the days got longer, and my phone calls with Bella got shorter. She started school and barely had enough time to tie her shoes. Honestly, most of my time was spent wallowing. It was sad, but Bella was all I could think about. I did everything that reminded me of her. Ate pizza, listened to The Weepies, and I went to the little meadow that Bella had shown me practically every day. Sometimes I even did all three of those things at once.

The night before I went to Seattle, I went online and searched for places for Bella and I to have dinner. I wanted it to be sweet and romantic, because that's what my girl deserved. Finally I found a small Italian place that was supposed to be pretty intimate, and if it turned out to be nothing like the site said, at least we would have the memory of laughing about it. Plus, we would have the after part of the date, which I hoped with everything would go as I planned. Since Bella and I hadn't had sex, we were both pretty much equivalent to a couple of sexually frustrated teenagers. I couldn't wait for her anymore, and I hoped she felt the same way, which I was pretty sure she did considering her behavior the last couple of weeks before she moved to Seattle.

I called her to let her know we had reservations. "It's a small Italian place I found," I told her after she'd insisted I tell her where we were going. "It's supposed to be pretty nice, but that was only according to the website," I said with a laugh.

"Edward, honestly, I don't care where we are. I just want you," she told me, sounding serious.

"I want you too, Bella. You have no idea how much."

"How about right now?" she asked. I was shocked for a second. What was she talking about?

"What?" I asked. She was silent. "Bella?"

"Ever had phone sex, Edward?" My eyes bugged out of my head, and I spat out the coffee I had been drinking. Was she serious? I must have been quiet for a while, because the next thing I knew Bella was saying my name again. I could feel the pressure start to build in my jeans, just at Bella's mention of phone sex.

"Edward?"

"Yes?" I squeaked.

"I was only kidding," she said as she began to laugh. I joined her.

"Don't tease me like that baby," I told her. "I can't wait to see you tomorrow."

"I feel the same way. I really should get back to work, though."

"Goodnight, Bella. Until tomorrow."

**BPOV**

After Edward left, Alice of course wanted to drag me out shopping for new things that I really didn't need. I consented and went into my room to get changed. I turned on my Joshua Radin playlist and started getting dressed as 'Sky' began to fill the room. It briefly reminded me of how I'd reacted to Edward as he was telling me goodbye, and I realized that I was being irrational. Of course he wanted me, otherwise he wouldn't have stayed with me. Right?

Every day the next week, Alice was coming up with some ridiculous thing to buy for my apartment. Damn that pull out couch for being comfortable and not wearing out the little pixie. By the end of the week, my apartment was completely unpacked furnished, and then some. Thank god I had her with me, otherwise I would have spent the entire month alone wallowing without Edward. We talked on the phone every chance we got, but it still didn't seem like enough.

One afternoon while Alice and I sat in a small café, which had excellent coffee and I made a mental note to take Edward here, I asked Alice what she and Jasper were going to do when she goes to New York.

"I don't know Bella. We never really talked about it. I think I'm avoiding the subject, because I just feel so happy with him, I don't want to make it real," she said, it was one of the few times in my life that I'd seen Alice upset.

"It's alright, Al. Everything will work out, I promise," I said as I reached over the table and put my hand on hers to show her my support.

"Thanks Bella. I hope you're right."

"I know you, Alice. I can see how you feel about him. You should tell him how you feel," I told her honestly.

"Thanks, Bell. What about you and Edward?" I knew that Edward and I weren't ready to discuss how we felt about each other. I didn't even know how I really felt about him. I hardly knew him, and yet it seemed like I'd known him forever.

"I don't know. I mean, I know we started dating around the same time as you and Jazz, but…" I paused for a moment, trying to think about how to phrase my feelings. "I don't want to over analyze it. I did enough of that with Jacob, blaming myself, wondering what I did wrong, figuring out that I didn't do anything wrong. It was so hard and I want to just…be with Edward. No bullshit."

"I understand," she told me as she squeezed the hand that was holding hers.

When school started, it was time for Alice to leave. We'd never been separated for so long, or by such a far distance, but we would never let any amount of time or land weaken our friendship.

It took us about an hour to finally say goodbye, but we managed it. I was lost after she left. I still had two more weeks until Edward came back, but school would hopefully keep my mind occupied.

School completely absorbed all of my time, and all of my thoughts except Edward. I had no time for anything I was so busy, and I was both thankful and tired. I hadn't slept as well as I had the night I fell asleep in Edward's arms. With his arms around me as I slept, I felt like I was being protected by a blanket that would never let any harm come to me. It was wonderful, and I longed to feel it again. Without him sleeping next to me, my bed felt desolate, and I felt unsheltered.

I'd gone for an interview at a high school in the city, through UW, and I was so nervous, new English teachers weren't exactly a rare commodity. I was still waiting to hear back from them, and probably wouldn't for a while. Hopefully Edward would be back with me when I finally did, I would need him for support if I needed to keep searching for a job. I would have to start night classes if I did find a teaching job, but I needed it, and would welcome it with open arms.

Every hour of the next two weeks, despite how busy I was, felt like a lifetime. I needed Edward. Alice had already taken me out to look for something to wear for the date I had with Edward the night he came to Seattle. I swear she was psychic. It was black, and it had a sleeveless satin bust, with a chiffon skirt that flowed down to just above my knee. The cleavage was modest, and I thanked Alice for that, but the back of the dress was almost completely open. I agreed to the black pumps, because apparently the dress and the shoes were a match made in heaven. I just shrugged Alice off on that one. The only real reason I even agreed to the heels, which I referred to as death traps, was because I was desperate to seduce Edward. I figured I would need all the help I could get.

I was so relieved when August 31st finally came. That night I shyly joked to Edward about having phone sex, and I'm pretty sure I nearly gave him a heart attack because after about three minutes of silence, I had to call his name to see if he was listening. When he finally answered me, his voice was no higher than a whisper. I gave myself a pat on the back for having such an effect on him.

I barely slept the night before Edward got to town because I was so anxious to see him. I had classes until three, so I was hoping that I would find him moving all of his stuff in when I got back.

Sure enough, when I walked into the building, I spotted Emmett moving some boxes into the elevator. I ran to him before the doors closed. "Hey Em!" I said as I hopped into the elevator.

"Bella!" he said as he gave me a hug. I hadn't gotten the chance to know Emmet very well while I was in Forks, but I liked him. He was like a giant teddy bear that you could just hug the shit out of all day long. He released me and I waited impatiently for the elevator to reach Edward's floor.

As soon as the doors opened, I ran out of the elevator and to Edward's door. I knocked, figuring I would surprise him. When he answered the door, an enormous smile spread across his face, and I'm pretty sure I did the same. He quickly closed the distance between our bodies. We wrapped our arms around each other as he buried his face in my neck, and I inhaled his sweet honey scent.

"Bella," he sighed into my neck, and I was home.


	12. Falling Slowly

**Alright, who's ready for this thing? This is my first lemon, so be gentle =]**

**I'd like to take a moment and give a HUGE thanks to coldplaywhore, seriously, she needs an applause for this one.**

**Music rec time, pretty much Kings of Leon's entire album 'Only by the Night.' I listened to that baby pretty much the entire time I was writing this. Pay particular attention to, of course, 'Sex on Fire' *winks at coldplaywhore* 'I Want You' (forget the lyrics and just listen on that one), and about the first 2 minutes of 'Be Somebody.'**

**I hope you all enjoy this one, and the more reviews I get, the more citrus I will give in return ;) Teasers as always!**

**I don't own Twilight, but I do have aching sunburn.**

**EPOV**

The moment I had Bella in my arms after a month apart, I felt complete again. It was as if she was the other half of my entire being and without her I wasn't entirely whole. As I held her and inhaled her indescribable scent I knew I would want to hold her for the rest of my life. I picked her up off of the ground and adjusted my head so I could kiss her. Our lips met and the taste of her tongue on mine made it feel like it was the first time we had kissed, like this was just the beginning. Her little hand found the nape of my neck and I placed her feet back on the ground.

Once her feet were back on the ground, I reluctantly pulled my lips away from hers and placed my hand gently on her cheek. "I missed you," I said and kissed her again tenderly. "And that," I added with a chuckle.

"Me too," she said as she smiled.

"Come on in," I said as I wrapped my arm around her waist and led her into the apartment. It was still a fucking mess, but I hoped I wouldn't be sleeping here tonight anyway. We hadn't exactly discussed what was going to happen tonight, but the way we were looking at each other, both now and before she left, kind of made it seem implied. She smiled as she walked in.

"I like it," she told me as she sat down on the couch that was still covered in plastic. She stayed at my apartment until she had to go get changed for our date, which she didn't seem happy about since apparently Alice had picked out the outfit. I told her I would pick her up at her apartment, which was three floors below mine, on the third floor.

I dressed in a simple white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows and a pair of dark-wash jeans. When I headed down to Bella's apartment, I finally started to get nervous.

When she opened the door, I was stunned. She looked so beautiful in a simple black dress which accentuated all of her curves and she looked sexy as hell. Half her hair was pinned back, while the rest of it flowed in soft curls down her back. "You're beautiful," I said when she stepped out into the hallway. "Not to mention you're fucking sexy," I whispered into her ear. She blushed just like I knew she would and we went downstairs to the parking garage where my Volvo was parked and headed off to the restaurant.

Dinner was incredible and Bella looked amazing with her face glowing against the soft candlelight of the restaurant. I felt like I could sit at that table and talk to her forever. However, there were many other things I wanted to do with her that I had in mind for tonight and none of them were rated PG. When I saw Bella eating a piece of the tiramisu we were sharing, I knew I had to have her. It was really fucking torturing me to have her so close to me, yet so far away.

"Let's go," I said to her once she was finished as she slowly licked the remaining cream from the spoon, arousing me even more. I grabbed her hand and threw enough money on the table to cover the bill leaving a sizeable tip behind in our wake. She laughed the entire time as we were practically jogging to my car.

"What's the rush?" she asked as I caught her staring at my obvious hard on that was getting increasingly larger and more uncomfortable in my jeans. She looked back up at me, her eyes filled with desire and kissed me forcefully as I pushed her against the car and ground my hips into hers, desperate for more friction. Bella's hips bucked into mine as her leg wrapped around my thigh and I groaned into her mouth. I pulled away from her reluctantly and opened her door, before I ended up taking her against my car, closing it swiftly once she was seated. I then ran to the driver's seat and peeled out of the parking lot. I was praying that I didn't get pulled over for speeding, because I didn't think I could handle an interruption like that at this point.

When we got back to our apartment building, I parked my car as quickly as possible, and once Bella was out of her seat, I seriously considered just throwing her over my shoulder and carrying her upstairs, caveman style. Once we got into the elevator, I pushed the button for the third floor as Bella looked at me questioningly. "Your place is closer," I stated simply as I shrugged my shoulders and Bella giggled at me. Once the elevator doors were open, I grabbed Bella's hand and we ran to her door. She fumbled with the keys, but as soon as we were inside, I closed the door and had her pinned to it. I leaned in to kiss her and our tongues collided instantly as I reached around to find the zipper of her dress. At the same time, Bella grabbed onto my belt and started tugging it, trying desperately to undo it, while pulling me impossibly closer to her heated body.

I pulled the zipper down as the dress fell to a puddle at her feet. She was left standing before me in a sexy, black lace bra and panty set and looked absolutely ravishing. She finally undid my belt and pushed my jeans down to my ankles as I stepped out of them, her body moving down mine sensually as she helped me undress. She stood back up and shoved her tongue back down my throat as I lifted her up by the back of her thighs and she wrapped her legs around my waist. "Bedroom," she muttered against my lips. I quickly walked us over to where I remembered her bedroom was and sat her down on the bed with me kneeling in between her legs.

She slowly undid the buttons on my shirt and slid it down my arms, her movements almost painstakingly slow. I pulled her towards me and then I reached around her body and unclasped her bra, leaving her in only her panties. She gently slid my boxers from my body and I eagerly stepped out of them as she scooted her small body to the center of the bed. The moment I saw Bella laid in front of me, I knew I wanted to take my time and worship her. I wanted to touch and lick and kiss every facet of her skin, like she deserved.

I kneeled onto the bed and crawled over to her, slowly to let her know that I wanted to be gentle with her. I stopped when I was between her legs and I grabbed her hips and kissed her softly. My hands traveled to the hem of her panties and I slowly tugged them off of her legs and threw them onto the floor to join my boxers.

I took her ankle in my hand and kissed it, my lips began trailing kisses along her leg, up to her stomach until I reached her breasts. I sucked gently on her left nipple. "So beautiful," I mumbled against the soft flesh of her breast.

"Edward," she moaned and I grew impossibly harder as I heard my name fall from her sweet lips.

My hands traveled from her waist, moving deftly across her skin until I reached her eager and open folds. She moaned in pleasure as I began to move up and down along her heat, while my other hand massaged her breast firmly. I slowly slipped one finger inside of her while my thumb found her sensitive bud of nerves. Bella began to writhe underneath my body as I added another finger inside of her and began pumping my fingers in and out of her heat.

My lips met hers and our tongues once again found each other. Every part of her body emanated heat and she was so tight and wet that I couldn't wait to be inside of her.

Minutes later, Bella screamed out my name in bliss as I felt her juices drip onto my fingers. Our lips parted momentarily as our foreheads touched and I gazed into her glowing eyes. She was the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen and I needed her.

"Edward," she panted breathlessly, the heaving of her chest slowed as she came down from her rapture. My lips had moved down to her neck and her little hand was caressing my back.

"Yes?" I mumbled against her neck.

"I need you," she gasped. _Your wish is my command, you unbelievably gorgeous goddess._

Bella reached over to her nightstand, opening the drawer swiftly as she pulled out a condom, ripping open the foil package and sliding it onto my eager length. I gazed into her eyes once more, my eyes silently searching for confirmation to make sure this was what she really wanted, even though I was subconsciously praying that she would let me have her. Her eyes always gave her feelings away to me and what I saw in them told me she wanted me just as badly as I wanted her. I parted her hips gently and positioned myself at her warm entrance as I kissed her forehead tenderly and slowly slipped inside of her tightness.

"Oh god, Edward," she called out as I began to move inside of her. She wrapped her legs around my waist, pulling me even further inside of her.

"Bella you are so fucking beautiful," I panted as I stroked her hair. My lips found her neck again as I sucked on it fiercely and I felt her hand tug at my hair. This girl was quickly becoming my entire world and I don't think she knew it. I thrust deep inside of her, slowly at first and then I started to move faster as our combined pleasure escalated.

I reached my hand in between our bodies, caressing her stomach on my way down, leaving a damp trail of sweat that had gathered there from our passion. I pumped even harder as my hand found her clit and began rubbing all circles around it. Bella's hips were now colliding more vigorously with mine and I began chanting her name over and over as I got closer to the edge.

I began showering Bella's body with kisses, everywhere my lips could reach. I couldn't get enough of her sweet taste, combined with her scent and the slick layer of sweat covering her creamy skin. I knew I wasn't going to last much longer, even though I wanted to hold out for my girl; my beautiful, sexy woman. I couldn't believe she was mine. In every movement I made, I tried to convey my love for her through my actions, with every thrust, every kiss, love seeped through all of them.

Her small hand found its way into my hair again and began pulling it roughly, which didn't help my efforts to hold back and I could tell she was getting close. I was determined not to let go before I achieved my goal. Bella planted small kisses on my cheeks, and my love for her grew even stronger in that moment.

Minutes later, I felt Bella's entire body shudder underneath mine. "Edward," she screamed in pleasure as she reached her climax. I burst inside of her as I saw the blissful expression on Bella's face. I groaned into her neck and my body kept moving against hers, trying to prolong the ecstasy she brought to me. When our breathing slowed slightly, I rested my head on Bella's shoulder and kissed it softly. After a moment I gently slid out of her, I pulled the condom off and tossed in into the garbage next to the bed and rolled over, pulling her into my arms.

Bella reached over and covered us with her sheets as I put my arm around her and she laid her cheek on my bare chest. "You have no idea how much I already adore you," I said to her as I kissed the top of her head. "Or how much the month of August completely sucked for me."

"Me too," she said as she gazed up at me and then turned her head to kiss my chest. She really did have no idea how much I did adore her. I laughed quietly, shaking the bed slightly.

"So, was that your evil plan, to seduce me?" I asked jokingly. "It didn't escape my notice, Miss Swan, that you were completely equipped with a drawer full of condoms this evening."

"Damn, you got me," she said sarcastically. "Honestly, Edward, for the past month, I haven't done much besides think about what just happened," she said, as her cheeks were suddenly flooded with a dark shade of pink. That blush was so fucking sexy.

Bella sat up for a moment, and I instantly felt lost without her touch.

"Where are you going? Get back here," I said as I sat up to grab her by the waist. I must have tickled her because she started giggling and squirming below my grasp and I was instantly hard again.

"Relax, Edward. I'm just getting my iPod," she said between giggles. I relented and let her go as she got out of bed and put her iPod on the dock that was on her nightstand. She came back to me, without turning the music on. Instead, she handed me a small remote control. "Press play, it's on shuffle," she said. I pressed the button and I immediately recognized 'Falling Slowly' by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova from _Once._

_Falling slowly, eyes that know me   
And I can't go back   
Moods that take me and erase me   
And I'm painted black   
You have suffered enough   
And warred with yourself   
It's time that you won_

She wrapped her arms around me again. "I love this song," she told me as she ran her fingers through my hair.

"So do I," I told her as I closed my eyes in contentment._ I love you, too._

Suddenly, without warning, Bella grabbed my face in her hands and began kissing me slowly, but enthusiastically. I wrapped my arms around her small figure and rolled over so that she was on her back. Minutes later, our bodies were rocking against each other again.

**BPOV**

Holy crap. I mean just, _holy crap._ Was this even real? Did it even count if I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming? I looked over at my alarm clock and saw that it was just after ten in the morning, the morning after Edward and I had shared a blissful night of four, that's right – count 'em – _four_ love making sessions. It had been the best night of my life. Jake had _never_ done anything like that to me; he wasn't one-millionth as skillful as Edward. Edward was just so…wonderful, even if that sounds cheesy or cliché, or anything like that, there were really no words to describe the way Edward had made me feel last night.

Someplace, deep in the scrambled egg-like confections of my brain, I could tell that I was falling for Edward. This knowledge, honestly scared the shit out of me. I knew that if I gave him my heart, that he could hurt me so much more than Jake ever did. The scars that Jake left on my heart would be nothing but small abrasions compared to the scars that Edward could leave there. I wasn't even sure if it could survive the wounds that Edward was capable of inflicting on my heart.

Then Edward sighed and wrapped his arm tighter around my waist as he slept. I settled on letting myself bask in how amazing Edward made me feel, and I reached up and began running my fingers through his soft hair. He sighed again.

I was afraid I might wake him, but that didn't stop me from gently running my fingers along his chest that was moving steadily up and down, deep in sleep. I slowly moved my head up to look at his handsome sleeping face and carefully slipped out from underneath the sheets and into the bathroom. It kind of felt stupid, but I brushed my teeth and made sure my hair wasn't a complete haystack. I shuffled quickly back into bed, thankfully not waking Edward up. I watched him sleep for a while until he began to stir.

Finally when he opened his eyes, he smiled. "Good morning," he said as he leaned over to kiss me. We were lying on our sides, facing each other, and he reached over and cupped my cheek, caressing it as he continued to softly move his lips against mine.

"Good morning yourself," I mumbled against his lips.

"You taste like mint," he said. At that I had to laugh, because I should have realized how obvious it was that I'd slipped away to prevent Edward's subjection to my morning breath.

"I got up and brushed my teeth about a half hour ago," I told him, blushing a little. "I just wanted to make sure I was appealing when you woke up."

"Bella, you taste delicious all the time," he said as he kissed me again.

"Want some breakfast?" I asked him anxiously. I wasn't sure how long he could stay, but I wanted to feed him before he left.

"That depends," he began to say. "Does this breakfast involve a taste of Bella?" I laughed again, because I was lucky if I would be able to walk straight today.

"Edward, I think you've worn me out enough for the next twenty-four hours, however if you're good then maybe I could serve you some Bella for dessert," I said, barely managing to say it without bursting into laughter.

This time it was Edward who laughed. "Have I mentioned that I absolutely adore you?" he asked in between bouts of laughter. I simply shook my head at him and got up to find some clothes. I ended up throwing on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, while Edward was left in just his boxers. _Oh, bless you, unplanned coital adventures._

I decided on making pancakes, because Edward had told me they were his favorite. I watched him eat them the entire time we were sitting at my kitchen table. I loved watching him eat the food I made for him, looking at the expression on his face and the way he always told me how delicious it was. "Not as delicious as you," he said this time. At that comment I slapped his arm playfully and told him to shut up and eat.

"When do you start at Northwest?" I asked. I was actually surprised that I didn't know when Edward started his new job at the hospital here in Seattle, that we hadn't even discussed it.

"Tomorrow night, I worked it out so that I had a few days to get my things unpacked."

"I have classes tonight," I told him. I was suddenly over the moon about the fact that Edward and I lived in the same building, because with both of our schedules being so hectic, it sure made seeing him a hell of a lot easier.

"Oh, alright," he said. We both got up and I walked him to the door. He grabbed me by the waist with one arm and pulled me to him for a sweet, sensual kiss. Once our unfortunate need for air had taken over, we said our goodbyes.

After a day of doing absolutely nothing productive, with the exception of a shower and clothing myself, I headed over to UW at five for my classes.

After my last class, I began fumbling through my bag, looking for my keys. When I finally pulled them out of my bag, I was already in the parking lot and headed for my truck. Unsurprisingly, I accidentally tossed them in the air when I tripped on a curb. After two unsuccessful attempts at saving them before they hit the ground, they finally fell and hit the hard concrete of the parking lot. When I bent down to pick them up, I was approached by the man who I recognized that sat two rows in front of me in class. He was of medium height and build, shorter than Edward and not nearly as handsome. He had his blonde hair, that looked like it went just passed his shoulders, pulled back onto a ponytail. Despite his unconventional haircut, the addition of his rectangular metal-framed glasses completed his unexpectedly studious look.

"In a hurry?" he asked me. I was confused as to why he was approaching me, since he hadn't addressed me before and we were almost three weeks into class. I really wanted to get home and whip up some food to surprise Edward with, since he was probably still unpacking and hadn't eaten yet. I glanced down at my watch and saw that it was almost ten o'clock already. He smiled as I looked up at him and his smile was so angelic that it didn't seem real.

"Um, yes, actually," I stated simply. _Dude, that's code for 'leave me alone I wanna get out of here.'_

"That's a nice truck you've got. 1953 Chevy, right?" I honestly had no idea the exact make or model, let alone the year my ancient truck was made.

"Uh, yeah. I guess," I said, trying to shrug him off so I could get home and to Edward.

He laughed to himself, probably at my ignorance really. But it wasn't a cruel laugh, so I let it go. "So," he began. _Oh, great. _"I was wondering if you'd like to get together and study sometime." I really had no idea what to say, I'd never really gotten a chance to turn someone down before, but then again, he was only asking to study. Maybe if I made it clear that I was involved with someone it would be easier.

"Um, listen," I paused for a second. I didn't even know this guy's name and he was asking me on a study date. "What's your name again?"

"James," he answered with that nearly eerie, angelic smile.

"James. I'm Bella," I said, reaching out so he could shake my hand. "I'm actually involved with someone, but I would consider studying with you as long as I make it clear that there are no romantic intentions on my part." _There, that should do it._

"Sure, Bella, that won't be a problem," he said easily. Maybe he didn't even mean anything like that. He didn't move. I started to turn towards my truck, hoping that he would get the fact that I wanted to leave.

"Goodbye, James." _Still not moving._

"Bye, Bella. I'll talk to you in class this week," he said reluctantly as he stepped away from my truck and I nodded my head in response.

Well that was awkward. He seemed like a nice enough guy, so it couldn't hurt to study with him, at least once. I started my truck, the engine's loud roar nearly making me jump out of my seat.

When I got back to my apartment building, I raced upstairs and quickly put together a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches because they seemed like the appropriate nighttime comfort food. I walked out of my apartment and before I reached the elevator, I turned around and walked back in to my place. I ran to my bedroom and grabbed an extra pair of panties and then ran back out and up towards Edward's apartment.


	13. Do You Realize?

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I really appreciate all of them, and thank you for all of the favorites and alerts!**

**Huge thanks to coldplaywhore, my partner in smut, for betaing this chapter and giving me awesome ideas. If, by some miracle, she wasn't the one who directed you on over to this story, then I suggest you hightail it on over to all of her stories, they're awesome! Thanks also to hgbkwrm for backing me up in times of craziness and letting me torture her with details. You guys should also go check out her story, 'Cedar Springs' it's amazing!**

**Teasers for all who review, as always!**

**I don't own Twilight, but I do have some drool gathering at my keyboard from checking out the Ducati website this morning…LOL**

**BPOV**

"Oh. My. God. Who is this and what has he done with Edward?" I asked, trying not to jump up and down, laughing at him while I pointed with my index finger. I was staring at a picture of Edward, looking about fourteen, sixteen at the oldest, wearing braces and the worst 'N Sync t-shirt I'd ever seen. Not that there were any good kinds of 'N Sync t-shirts. I felt several giggles threatening to escape my lips and I covered my mouth. I'd decided to help him unpack, because after I showed up last night, nothing really productive had been done. Well, nothing productive that involved unpacking boxes.

"What the fuck?" he asked as he pulled the picture from my hand.

"I can see that your looks always turned heads," I managed through my snickering.

"Emmett," he hissed. "He must have snuck this in there. Look, I was with my first girlfriend and I was so desperate, I swear!" he said, waving his hands defensively.

"I think I can see past your love for 'N Sync," I added, trying to placate him. Although I didn't think it would work since I was still suppressing my giggles.

He narrowed his eyes at me as he held it up and pointed to himself in the photograph. "_This_ is what I went through to lose my virginity and it didn't even work, she dumped me like two days after the concert. I still think she used me for that one, I even camped out on line to get us good seats."

"Aw, you poor thing," I said as I walked over to him and gave him a hug. The whole story was actually hilarious, but he didn't need to know that I thought that. I took the photo from his hand and tossed it into the garbage. He looked down at its new, permanent location and kissed the top of my head. "So," I began, a little unsure about how to broach the subject. "How did you end up, you know, losing it?" he chuckled as he tightened his grip on my body and swayed us back and forth slightly.

"Let's see," he began. "It was my junior prom, with my girlfriend at the time." I immediately felt what I knew was irrational jealousy, but it was still there all the same. "To paint the picture for you, I think we dated for about three weeks after that, so as you can see it was a big flame for me," he said with a small laugh.

"Well, it was her loss," I said as I sighed into his chest.

"Plus, it didn't really help that Em got the hotel room per my request and decorated it completely with condoms, I think that gave her the wrong impression, but it was still funny as hell." I started to laugh quietly and he rested his cheek on my head. It wasn't exactly a romantic conversation, talking about when your boyfriend lost his virginity, but we were just basking in each other's presence.

"What about you, Miss Swan?"

I was silent for a moment. I really didn't want to tell him this story, and yet I wanted to tell him in the same breath. "Um…" I started. This was going to be harder than I thought. He put his hands on my shoulders so he could look at me.

"It was your ex, wasn't it? Jacob?" he asked, his eyes tainted with sadness. The sadness replaced the beauty from his eyes and I hated seeing him like that.

"It's no big deal, Edward. I'm over it," I said, but I didn't think I managed to hide the sadness that now tainted my eyes and I was pretty sure it was seeping through my voice too.

"He didn't deserve you. I really want to kick his ass right now," he said as he pulled me back to him and began caressing my back.

"Thank you, Edward."

"For what? I'm just speaking the truth," he told me seriously. Just then my phone interrupted, 'Sex on Fire' by the Kings of Leon ringing through the entire apartment.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hello, Miss Swan. This is Lynn Graham from Franklin High School," the woman over the phone began. She was the principal at the high school I had interviewed for a few weeks ago. "I'm pleased to inform you that we're happy to welcome you to our staff starting this spring." My breathing stopped for a second. I couldn't believe I'd been hired. The high school had been perfect, it was where I could see myself teaching and it was only about ten minutes from my apartment.

"Really? That's fantastic, wonderful, really. Thank you so much Ms. Graham," I replied with a little too much enthusiasm.

"Please hon, call me Lynn," she said sweetly. "I don't do all that formal shit here," she said with a small laugh. I was a bit taken aback by her informal language, but I was definitely going to embrace it.

I laughed quietly with her and replied, "Thank you, Lynn. I'm looking forward to seeing you in the spring." We disconnected and I turned to face Edward with, what I'm sure was a pretty goofy-looking, grin. "I got the job!" I said as he smiled back at me and wrapped his arms around my waist and spun me around.

"Congratulations, baby," he said, his words muffled due to the fact that his head was buried in the crook of my neck. He set me back down and we started unpacking again.

I opened up a small box and took out the papers that were inside. "What's this?" I asked, holding the paper with music notes out to him. He took the paper gently from my hand and smiled.

"You really have a knack for finding things I'd lost a long time ago, don't you?" he asked. I just shrugged my shoulders. "My sheet music…I've been playing piano since I was about ten," he said nonchalantly. "I still play once in a while, but this stuff I haven't seen in years," he said as he gestured toward the paper that he'd handed back to me.

After a few minutes, I realized that I had class, and I really needed to get some work done beforehand. "I should go get some work done," I said with a heavy sigh. Okay, it was beyond heavy, it was dripping with lead. "Good luck at work tonight, show 'em who's boss."

He laughed and kissed me softly. "Get your sexy ass out of here before I end up dragging you to the bedroom." I seriously considered saying something else, but I really did need to get some work done. So I just smiled at him, while simultaneously glaring daggers at him and walked out the door. _Payback's a bitch, Edward._

"You're still coming over tomorrow night for dinner, right?" I called back to him before I opened the door to leave.

"Depends, what are you cooking?" he asked, laughing a bit.

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up. I'll see you tomorrow night," I said as I walked out the door.

That night, after my class, James approached me again. "Hey, Bella," he said in a very nonchalant tone, that angelic smile making its appearance again.

"Oh, hi James. What's up?" I asked, even though I knew that he was going to ask me when we could get together to study. I decided that, if that was what he wanted, that I would just invite him to my apartment, with Edward coming over for dinner I knew I would be safe. James seemed harmless though.

"Not much, I was wondering if tomorrow night would be good for you? To study I mean, for the exam next week."

"Yeah, that night works. Did you want to come over to my place?" I asked. I didn't know why I was inviting a strange man into my home, but James just didn't seem harmful to me and I would have Edward there if my assumptions about James were off.

"That'd be cool, sure," he replied. We decided that he'd come over around 4 and we could study while I made dinner. I wondered briefly how Edward would react to James, but I was pretty confident in my ability to make him see that I only saw him and that I wanted only him.

Thursday afternoon James arrived at my apartment and I had just started on the stuffing for my pork chops when he came to the door and I buzzed him in. "Hey James, I was just starting dinner. Come on in," I said, feeling a little bit awkward. I really did want him to know that Edward would be joining us, so I think my nerves took over and I just blurted it out straightaway. "My boyfriend, Edward, is going to be coming over in about an hour or so after he gets off from work and I thought you'd like to stay and join us?"

"Thanks, Bella, that would be good," he said, his face fell slightly at my mention of Edward, but his expression was back to the way it had been when he walked in the door within a second.

We studied some of our material while I was prepping dinner, which took a little over an hour. I began to feel more at ease with James once I began to spend more time with him; he seemed less awkward than when I'd first met him. He actually seemed calm and comfortable in his own skin, which was a vast improvement. Our conversation didn't really go beyond the study material and when it did it wasn't about anything really important, it was just small talk.

Around seven o'clock, after James and I had been studying for a bit and once dinner had been prepped, there was a knock at the door and I instantly knew it was Edward. I hadn't gotten the chance to tell him that James would be here, so I had no idea how he would react and I was immediately concerned. I excused myself from the room and stepped out into the hall before Edward could come inside, so that I could break the news to him.

"Hey," he said as I kissed him softly. "Why are we in the hallway?" he asked, cocking one eyebrow at me in confusion.

"I just didn't want you to freak out. A guy from my class wanted to study and I knew you were coming over for dinner tonight, so I'm sorry for ruining our date, but I knew that with you here I wouldn't have to worry about getting mauled," I blurted out in one breath.

"Oh," was all he said.

"Don't be mad," I pleaded with him. I honestly wasn't sure if Edward was the jealous type, but I needed him to know that there was no reason whatsoever for him to be jealous. He had a small crease in between his eyebrows, which showed me that he did have some anxiety over the situation.

"Depends. What are you cooking?" he asked as I saw the crease slowly dissipate.

I grinned at him. "Stuffed pork chops and cheesecake for dessert," I said confidently knowing full well that Edward loved cheesecake.

"Well then, that's settled. If I can get mad at you with cheesecake in my mouth, we shouldn't be dating," he said as he smiled and put his arm over my shoulder and lead me inside. I knew I was in the clear, but I decided to mess with him a little bit.

"Well, what if my cheesecake just sucks? Doesn't that change the rules?" I teased as we walked in the door.

Edward leaned in and whispered in my ear. "Bella, the way you cook, you could never get me mad at you." I blushed and giggled at him. His words made me want to convert my bedroom into a kitchen, so that we would never have to leave the bedroom, but I could still worm my way into his heart through his stomach.

We walked into the living room to where James was sitting and waiting patiently. "James, this is my boyfriend, Edward," I said as I gestured in between the two men. "Edward, this is James, he's in my education class."

Edward held his hand out towards James and they did the manly handshake thing, which I never really understood. I sensed that Edward was getting a little bit tense, so I broke the silence by offering them a beer, which they both accepted and telling them that dinner would be ready in about five minutes.

James and I held most of the conversation during dinner, talking about the class and the material, and why we both wanted to be teachers. James was kind, but awkward. He didn't make me feel as uneasy as he did the night I met him, which I was glad for. Edward however was a different story. He wasn't being the sweet, caring person that I knew he was. He was silent throughout most of dinner, with his hands balled into fists and resting on the table, and his jaw was clenched the entire time he was eating. Through the whole dinner he never addressed James, never even glanced in his direction, or mine for that matter. He sat there and stared at his food the entire time he ate. I didn't know what was wrong with him, was he really jealous? There was nothing to be jealous about, and as soon as James left I needed to make that as clear as I possibly could. Then disaster struck.

"So, James," Edward began, both James and I whipped our heads around to face him. "Does staring at Bella's breasts all night qualify you to work with children?" he asked in a calm tone. Was he even serious? What was his problem? I was livid and I was going to let Edward know it.

"Edward!" I shouted. I couldn't believe he was acting this way. I'd never seen him like this and to be honest it kind of scared me, what if he wasn't who I thought he was?

"Bella, he's been staring at your chest all night and I've had it," he said as he threw his napkin on the table and folded his arms over his chest. I looked at James who was staring at Edward, dumbfounded.

"I'm sorry if I offended you, man," James began. Then he turned to me to speak. "Bella, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, if I did then I'm sorry," he said, in what seemed to me like a sincere tone. He got up from his seat at the table and excused himself. "I'm sorry for whatever I've done, but I can see that I've caused some trouble, so, Bella, if you'll excuse me. I will see you in class."

"I'll see you in class James." I didn't want him to feel like he had to leave, but I really wanted to find out what the hell was going on with Edward, so I thought it would be best if he did leave. He grabbed his books from the living room and left, the door closing timidly behind him.

"Well that was really fucking uncalled for," I spat at Edward. I'd never been mad at him before, but the way he was acting had me fuming.

"He was fucking staring at your chest every time you weren't paying attention, Bella!" he shouted at me. I refused to believe what he was saying. He didn't know James…well neither did I really, but he had no right to judge him.

"He was not, Edward! Why are you acting so jealous? It's ridiculous, there's _nothing_ to be jealous about!" He stared at me in disbelief and soon the shock turned into anger.

"I am not fucking jealous," he said, his voice venomous, before he turned away from me and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him as he went.

I don't know how long I stared at the door after he left, but I suddenly realized that I was crying. Tears were streaming down my face and breathless sobs were escaping my lips. I was gripping the edge of the kitchen table, trying to keep myself vertical. Once I composed myself, somewhat, I started cleaning up what was left of dinner.

After I cleaned up the kitchen, I went through my entire apartment and just started cleaning everything in sight, I even kicked a few pillows in the process, but I couldn't stop myself. I needed to keep myself busy, but it turned out that cleaning was only keeping my hands busy. My mind was still thinking about what had just happened with Edward. I knew he was just jealous and it made me so angry that he was behaving like that, he never considered my feelings at all, he just freaked out. I didn't like it at all. I hated it, actually.

More sobs were beginning to flood from my throat as I thought about the way Edward had yelled and the frightening look he had in his eyes when he told me that he wasn't jealous of James. I hated seeing that look, it scared me and made me feel like he was capable of doing anything. The worst part of that look was that I couldn't tell exactly _what_ he was capable of. That's what really scared me, the unknown.

Eventually, there was nothing left in my apartment to clean, so I went in to the living room and turned on the television. Of course everything that was on reminded me of Edward in some way, so I growled at the television set and threw the remote. I was just about to head over to the refrigerator and drink a bottle of wine, when there was a knock at the door. I looked over at the clock on the stove and saw that it was just after ten. Who the hell was knocking on my door at ten at night?

I sauntered over to the door and when I opened it, there was no one there. I was just about to slam the door when I looked down and saw a small piece of paper on the ground. I picked it up and unfolded it.

_Meet me in the lobby,_ was all it said, there was no initials or anything. I pondered the note for a second and decided that since the lobby was bound to be full of people and that since I wasn't going to meet someone in a dark alley or anything like that, I decided I would go down there.

I walked down to the lobby, since it was only three floors down and when I got there, I didn't see anyone that seemed to be looking for me. There was the guy at the desk and a few people coming and going. I stood there quietly for a second and then the sound of the piano caused me to whip my head around.

Behind me sat Edward, in the corner of the lobby where the piano was and he was playing a song that I immediately recognized. I stood there, staring at him in disbelief, listening to him play 'Jealous Guy' by John Lennon on that old piano. He wasn't singing, he wasn't looking at me, he was just staring down at the keys and playing the beautiful melody, and I knew that he was trying to apologize and honestly, it was working.

I slowly walked towards him and sat down on the bench beside him. He continued playing, so I let him and waited until his song was finished. When it was, he turned his body on the bench so that he was facing me.

"I'm the biggest asshole in the world. I'm jealous as fuck and I am so sorry, Bella," he said. I didn't know what to say. He'd just finished playing that beautiful song and now he was actually apologizing to me in his own words. _Did he really just make up for what he did four hours ago?_ I wasn't sure how long I stared at him for. This man was more beautiful to me in that moment than he'd ever been. I finally got the nerve to look into his eyes, the sadness was tainting them again and I couldn't have that. I threw my arms around his neck and the next thing I knew Edward was scooping me into his arms. He buried his face in my neck and began kissing it while he cradled the back of my head. "I'm so sorry, baby. I never should have yelled at you like that," he mumbled against my neck and more tears ran down my cheeks. But these were good tears.

I pulled back from him so I could look at his face. The sadness had almost dissipated. I moved my hand to his cheek and he put his hand over mine. "There's no reason for you to be jealous, Edward," I told him seriously, never once looking away from his eyes. He broke our connection when closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again to speak.

"Somewhere in the back of my mind I know that, Bella. But seeing any other man look at you, even in the most innocent of ways makes me crazy. I'm sorry."

I leaned in and kissed him fiercely. "It's okay, it's okay," I said over and over against his lips. As harsh as he'd been with me earlier, my desire to erase the sadness in his eyes was stronger than my anger. It touched me so much that none of it even mattered to me anymore. His hand came around to caress my hair and I caressed the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Want some cheesecake?" I asked him after a minute, when I pulled away to gasp for air. It was really my way of asking him if he wanted to go upstairs.

He thought about it for a minute and then smiled at me. "Only if you feed it to me." I laughed at him and grabbed his hand so that we could go upstairs.

When we got back to my apartment I fixed him a piece of cheesecake and we sat down on the couch. He put my iPod in the dock I had in the living room, and 'Do You Realize??' by The Flaming Lips came through the speakers. "That song was beautiful, thank you Edward," I said sincerely and he responded by leaning over and kissing my cheek. I fed him his cheesecake and by the time it was gone, I needed to get him into the bedroom before I went crazy.

I sat the plate down on the coffee table and straddled his lap. Obviously he needed to get into the bedroom too, because I could feel his arousal pressed into my thigh. My fingers found their way into his hair and fisted it gently as I kissed him passionately and he slowly moved his hands around my back. After a few minutes of kissing, Edward reached up to my hair and slowly took out my ponytail, letting my hair fall down around my shoulders. I got up from his lap and grabbed his hand and practically dragged him to my bedroom.

* * *

Through the next couple of weeks, Edward and I tried to work out a routine with our busy schedules, but we were unsuccessful to say the least. We'd only managed to see each other once since the night James was here and my bed was beginning to feel colder and emptier every night.

My cell phone rang and my stomach did this twisty thing that it always did when Edward was calling. I picked up. "Well, hello there, mystery man. Will I ever get to see you again in this lifetime?" I asked in a joking, yet fairly seductive tone.

"I'm off from the hospital for the next two days. You don't have class tomorrow, correct?" he asked, apparently ignoring my joke and attempt at alluring him and getting straight to the point.

"Uh, no. Why?" I asked, a little bewildered by his question.

"Not tonight either, right?"

I was getting a little frustrated with him. Why couldn't he just tell me what he wanted to tell me? He had to be all mysterious and shit. All well, thus the appeal of Edward, I suppose. "No, I don't have class tonight either. Edward, what's going on?"

"You'll just have to wait and see," he said. I could hear the smile in his voice. "Oh, there is one thing," he added. "Make sure that when I show up at your door that you have an overnight bag all packed and ready to go," he finished, hanging up before I could question him.

I looked over at my clock and saw that it was just before eleven in the morning, so I decided that since Edward gave me no indication whatsoever on when he would be here, that I would get started on my overnight bag. When that was finished, I called Edward back to see if I could get any more information out of him.

"I'm surprised I didn't hear from you sooner," he said with a laugh.

"Well since you didn't tell me when you would be here, I decided to get going on that overnight bag you mentioned," I began. "So, when _are_ you going to be here?"

He paused for a second. "Give me an hour." My mind immediately went into overdrive as I wondered where the hell he was dragging me to overnight. I decided that as long as it involved Edward and a bed that I wasn't going to complain.

"Aye aye, Captain," I said and then hung up the phone. I made us some sandwiches for wherever we were going and made sure I had the little work for class left over finished before Edward got there.

When I heard the knock at the door, I hopped up from the couch and somehow managed to trip over my own feet on my way, causing me to do a face-plant right onto the floor. I quickly got up and answered the door, not even giving Edward the time to speak; I simply threw my arms around him and kissed him with as much fervor as I could muster. He laughed beneath my lips.

"Bella, if we keep this up we'll never get there on time," he said when he pulled away.

"I don't suppose I get to know where that is yet?" I inquired as I went back into the living room to get my bag and the sandwiches I'd made before we headed out the door.

When our fifteen-minute drive was over, I looked around and discovered we were parked near the water, the Bainbridge Island ferry, to be exact. "We're going to Bainbridge Island?" I asked as a small smile played on my lips. I'd never gone there, but I'd always wanted to.

"Yeah. Puget Sound. I found a cool cottage online that they rent out by the night," he said with a smile. My grin got even wider because I'd heard that Puget Sound was beautiful.

I got out of the car and met Edward on the other side and I hugged him closely. "Thank you, Edward. This is amazing." He put his hand on top of my head and kissed it.

"Well it was the only way I could get to see you," he said with a laugh. "Just get you angry enough by surprising you." We got our bags from the trunk and walked over to the Bainbridge Island ferry, both of us pretty damned excited about spending the night alone together, completely secluded.

**Go on and click that review button if you want a sneak peek of what's next! I know, I'm such a review whore :) I have 'Jealous Guy' by both John Lennon and Gavin DeGraw up on my profile, go check those vids out!**


	14. You Give Me Something

**What's this? Two chapters in one week? **

**I'd like to give a little shout out to some of my loyal readers, ****hopelessromantic09, JillMH, Groovechild1964, clancy119, DragonRider250, and glo4twilight. You all show me some love with your constant reviews, so I'm giving some love back :)**

**Also another gigantic shout out and thanks to coldplaywhore, my partner in smut, for being my beta for the last few chapters, she really saves me and makes the chapters so much better. So all of you give her a round of applause.**

**Thanks to all who reviewed, teasers for all of you as always.**

**I don't own Twilight, but I do have a new found desire to find James Morrison and make sweet, sweet love to him and that sexy man voice of his :)**

**EPOV**

As I walked with Bella, gripping her hand tightly in mine, while we rode on the ferry towards Bainbridge Island, I couldn't help but think how lucky I was to have her. How lucky I was that I convinced her to forgive me after what happened with James a couple weeks ago. I remembered everything that happened that night with perfect clarity.

When Bella first explained me that she'd had a man in her apartment, jealousy coursed through me. She told me that they'd been studying, but the thought of her being alone in her apartment with any other man drove me absolutely mad, I wanted to go in there and make sure he knew that Bella was _mine_. She asked me not to be mad at her for not telling me that he'd been there and the look in her eyes calmed me down slightly. I needed to not be angry for her sake.

I had been keeping an eye on James the entire time I was in Bella's apartment and every time she turned away from him, his eyes went straight to her breasts and it had me fuming in my seat. If that bastard made one wrong move he was dead.

After about the tenth time I'd caught him staring at my girl's chest and her shirt wasn't exactly covering it, I decided to confront him about it and I'm pretty sure that was the wrong way to do it. The look on Bella's face said it all, she had no idea what James had been doing and now she was furious with me, but I wasn't going to sit here and stay quiet while that was going on. At least he had the decency to leave when I called him out on it.

"Well that was really fucking uncalled for," Bella said to me furiously. It stung, hearing her talk to me like that when I'd only been trying to protect her. So I did the first thing that came to mind, I lashed out at her.

"He was fucking staring at your chest every time you weren't paying attention, Bella!" I shouted. I immediately regretted the words that came out of my mouth, but I wasn't about to apologize for trying to protect her.

"He was not, Edward! Why are you acting so jealous? It's ridiculous, there's _nothing_ to be jealous about!" That was the last straw. I was _not_ jealous and I was going to make sure she knew it.

"I am not fucking jealous," I spat and walked out of her apartment. I stopped outside her door and sunk to the ground, putting my face in my hands. I couldn't believe I yelled at her. I swore to myself that I would never hurt her.

A moment later, the most heart-wrenching sound came from inside Bella's apartment. She was crying, and it was all my fault. I was disgusted with myself; I wanted to run away, as far away from Bella as I could so that I would never hear her cry again, but in the same breath I wanted to kick down her door and hold her until her tears had stopped falling. I sat there until her sobs died down and I went back up to my apartment. When I got up there, I went right to the boxes I'd been unpacking with Bella earlier and I found the sheet music she'd discovered earlier. It gave me an idea.

I found a piece of paper and scribbled a note on it and walked it back up to Bella's apartment. I laid it on the floor and knocked on the door, running away as fast as I could so I wouldn't lose my nerve. I got down to the lobby and as soon as I saw Bella, I started playing 'Jealous Guy' by John Lennon. I knew Bella would recognize it and I needed her to hear me pleading through the keys on the piano. She turned towards me and came to sit beside me on the piano bench. She just stared at me the entire time I played and it was making me crazy, not knowing what she was thinking.

When I was finished playing, I turned to Bella and she was staring at my chest, so I spoke up. "I'm the biggest asshole in the world. I'm jealous as fuck and I am so sorry, Bella," I told her honestly. As much as I wanted to think I was only protecting Bella from James, I had to admit that I was jealous that he'd been alone with her in her apartment. When she finally looked me in the eyes, the look she gave me was heartbreaking. Before I could say anything else, a small whimper escaped her lips; I don't even think she noticed. She threw her arms around me and I buried my face in her neck and placed my hand on the back of her head. "I'm so sorry, baby. I never should have yelled at you like that," I told her. I was really pleading with her.

She leaned back so she could look me in the eyes again. "There's no reason for you to be jealous, Edward," she said to me and I closed my eyes, half in contentment and half bracing myself for what I was about to say.

"Somewhere in the back of my mind I know that, Bella. But seeing any other man look at you, even in the most innocent of ways makes me crazy. I'm sorry," I told her, and it was absolutely true. I hated seeing James looking at her, even when we walked down the street I shot angry glances at men who simply glanced at her. I knew it wasn't good, but I couldn't help it.

She crashed her lips to mine and mumbled, "It's okay, it's okay." It was music to my ears.

When she asked me if I wanted cheesecake, I knew she was just trying to get me upstairs and I welcomed the offer with open arms. Bella feeding me was one of the sexiest things she'd ever done and by the time she was finished, my hard on was almost unbearable. Thank god my girl knew how to take care of that.

Now as she looked at me, staring at her on the ferry, with one eyebrow cocked in confusion, I couldn't do anything but kiss her. I leaned in and enveloped her lips in mine, slowly, savoring her taste. I wasn't going to make a mistake like that again. I started to tell Bella about where we were going. "So," I began, "I found this cottage online, so if it's nothing like the pictures and it's really a crap shack, I'm getting us a hotel," I said with a laugh.

She rolled her eyes at me. "You'll do no such thing. I'd rather be stuck in a crap shack alone with you than in some fancy hotel," she said. Well, she was right about that. I guess I could deal with submitting her to a crappy cottage as long as I got to be alone with her.

When the twenty-minute ferry ride ended, we drove off onto Bainbridge Island and drove about fifteen minutes out to Puget Sound to the cottage. When we arrived, what we saw what was definitely not a crap shack.

The small house was a deep shade of blue and the perfect size for two people to spend the weekend or a night. It had a small porch along the front of the house and when we walked up the porch steps and into the house, it was even more beautiful inside. It was exactly as it had looked in the pictures I'd seen on the website and I was more than relieved.

The rooms held a very light atmosphere with their beige carpeting and cream-colored walls, with a black leather couch in the middle of the room across from a small television set.

"Certainly not a crap shack," said Bella as she walked forward towards one of the two bedrooms. I shook my head in agreement with her and followed her to the back of the house. The bedroom I walked into had a queen-sized bed, with a set of French doors that opened up to the tub in the bathroom. "Bella, we are so staying in this room," I called to her. She walked back in and saw the tub I was standing in front of through the bedroom and nodded her head.

"Definitely."

We put our bags down and settled on the four-poster bed in the middle of the room. I lay down and wrapped my arms around Bella, lying her down with me as she rested her head on my shoulder. "This place is wonderful, Edward. Thank you, I really needed it," said Bella after a comfortable moment of silence.

"No need for thanks, Bella. I needed it too," I told her honestly as I kissed the top of her head. After a minute of peace, I suddenly remembered the cooler of food I'd packed to cook Bella dinner with. "I'll be right back," I said to her as I leaped up from the bed and ran out to my car. When I came back, Bella was wondering around in the living room.

"What is that?" she asked curiously.

"I brought supplies," I said simply. "I'm cooking you dinner." She smiled widely at me.

"You're cute, you know that?" she said as she walked over and kissed me sweetly. "What are you making?" she asked as she looked down at the cooler.

"Chicken Asiago pasta," I replied with a smug grin. Her eyes widened slightly and I suggested that she go have a glass of wine while she waited, which earned me a pout from her and a breathless 'fine'. I laughed and poured her a glass of white wine and began cooking.

"Did you make sure to add salt to the water?" she asked as she stood on her tiptoes behind me as if she could see the salt in the boiling water. I had to laugh because she'd been asking me questions like this ever since I started cooking…fifteen minutes ago.

"Yes, Bella there is salt in the water, go relax," I told her as I shoved her away gently, gesturing her towards the living room.

"Right," she scoffed as she reluctantly walked away from me.

When I put the chicken in the oven, I coaxed Bella to come into the living room to relax for a few minutes. We sat until Bella couldn't take it anymore and when I was distracted by the baseball game, Bella snuck into the kitchen to peek into the oven. As soon as I realized where she went, I snuck up behind her and banned her from the kitchen until dinner was ready.

When dinner was finally complete, we both sat down and I finally understood how Bella could stare at me and eat the food she cooked. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the expressions on her face, as she tasted everything I'd made for her. Of course, I'd practiced this meal several times before today, to make sure I didn't screw anything up.

She offered to clean up after dinner since I'd cooked and I let her, simply because I had another surprise planned for her. I snuck away to our bedroom and began unpacking all of the candles I'd packed into my bag. I placed them all carefully in the bathroom before lighting them and dimming the lights. She must have plugged in the iPod dock she'd brought with her, because I heard the muffled sounds of 'You Give Me Something' by James Morrison coming from the kitchen. By the time I was finished, Bella was nearly done in the kitchen and I went back out to her.

I stood behind her, watching her sway her hips back and forth to the song as she worked behind the sink, and I was immediately hard and ready for her. I grabbed her hips from behind, making sure to press my now obvious erection into her ass and she gasped slightly at the contact. "Bella, I think you should stop with the dishes and join me in the bathroom before I bend you over the counter and have my way with you," I told her seriously before I walked away somewhat confidently, not looking back to see her reaction.

**BPOV**

I was frozen in the kitchen, my muscles refused to move but I knew that I needed to hightail it into the bathroom, because I was just as anxious to be with Edward as he seemed to be with me. I finally got my bearings together and made it into the bedroom. I stripped off all my clothes and threw on the small silk bathrobe I'd brought with me and anxiously gathered all of my hair at the top of my head in a messy bun.

I slowly walked into the bathroom and let out a small gasp at the sight before me. The lights were dimmed, the entire bathroom was lit with candles and it was simply beautiful. As my eyes traveled around the room, they found the most beautiful part of the scenario; Edward was sitting in the bathtub staring at me with an expression of…adoration? I smiled at him and couldn't wait to join him.

I stood in front of him and was a little nervous since he was already sitting in the tub. So I slowly slid the bathrobe over my shoulder and let it fall to the floor, leaving me exposed to him. I slipped into the tub beside Edward, my back to his chest. "Mmmm this is nice," I hummed.

"Yes it is," he said as he leaned back to grab the loofah and the body wash that was behind him. The next thing I knew, Edward was moving the loofah back and forth across my shoulders sensually. I scooted back towards him slowly and felt his arousal against my back as I moaned in pleasure.

When he was finished, he rinsed me off and began placing small, open-mouthed kisses along my shoulders and neck. I reached behind me and found his hard cock, grasping it firmly and moving my hand slowly up and down along his length. He groaned in pleasure and after a few more moments, I desperately wanted him inside of me. I turned around to face him and placed my hands on his shoulders, straddling him and latching my lips onto his, consuming all of my emotions into a passionate kiss.

"This is amazing, Edward," I whispered against his lips as I moved my hands from his shoulders to cup his face.

"No, you are amazing, Bella," he said simply. He then placed his hands around my waist and slowly moved his hands up until his thumbs reached the corners of my breasts. He kissed me forcefully as his hands moved to cup both of my breasts and massage them gently. Edward's tender movements caused me to sigh into his mouth and then I turned my head to try and deepen our kiss.

I ground down on his erection, causing him to groan in both pleasure and frustration. Edward pulled away from my mouth and whispered in my ear. "I want be inside of you, Bella." His breath was hot against my cheek and denying him at this point wasn't even an option. He whispered again to me, asking if he should get a condom, but I simply shook my head and told him no since I was on the pill. We'd never gone without a condom before, but I wanted him too much now to even consider letting him leave the bathtub or me at this moment.

Before I had time to think twice, I positioned myself so that he was at my entrance. I must not have been moving fast enough, because Edward suddenly grasped my hips and forced me down onto his hardness. I screamed out his name as I buried my face in his neck and dug my nails into his back. After a short moment, I began moving up and down along his cock slowly. The moans and grunts that were escaping our lips seemed to spur me on more and I began moving more quickly against him.

Edward's hand, which had been wrapped around me, dipped down beneath the water and found my eager clit and he began rubbing it vigorously. His motions caused me to move up and down on him even faster and I knew he was getting close to the edge as he began to mutter my name under his breath.

His mouth moved to my neck and began sucking on it furiously, not holding back in the least and I couldn't care less if I had a mark there later or not. Edward's hips began to thrust upward to meet mine. I could feel my orgasm building in the pit of my stomach and I gripped the edge of the tub behind Edward. A second later, I was exploding into ecstasy and I felt Edward twitch and spill into me a instant later as his movements inside of me slowed.

I let go of the tub and pulled back so I could look at Edward, whose smile was one that probably mirrored mine exactly. We were in our own little version of heaven and it was perfect. I slid off of him and resumed my earlier position with my back to his chest. Edward began massaging my shoulders and I'd gotten so relaxed that I'd almost fallen asleep.

He woke me from my stupor a few minutes later. "You're too beautiful to get pruny," he whispered in my ear. I laughed at him and we both stood up slowly and wrapped ourselves in towels. Edward held out his hand for me and I took it as he carefully stepped over the edge of the tub and into the adjacent bedroom, lifting me by the waist and back onto the floor, making sure I didn't fall.

"So what do you have planned for tomorrow?" I asked as we both began to change our clothes. I didn't really expect him to have planned anything for me, but I was curious all the same. We both settled in our bed, me in a large t-shirt and Edward in his boxers. I smiled at the fact that I was wearing just a top and he was wearing only bottoms, like we were two halves of a whole.

He enveloped me in his arms and I rested my head on his chest. I felt immediately more relaxed with the feeling of being in his arms as I slept for the first time in two weeks. "This?" he asked as I giggled at him in response.

"This works," I said as I tightened my grip on him. Edward kissed the top of my head and began running his hands through my long hair until I drifted to sleep.

_I awoke, cold and alone in my bed, in my apartment. I searched for Edward, but I couldn't find him anywhere. I was naked and shivering and I could remember that I'd fallen asleep in Edward's arms._ Why isn't he here with me?_ I thought to myself. I could feel the tears began to form in my eyes as I turned on the lights and saw his clothes had been removed from my floor and Edward was nowhere to be found._

_I got up and searched for a pair of his boxers that I knew he always kept here, mostly because I liked to wear them. When I opened the drawer, they weren't there. I began frantically throwing all of the clothes that were in the dresser out and onto the floor. I grabbed clothes of my own from the floor and threw them on. I walked out into the living room and Edward still wasn't there._

_My heart sunk even further into my chest as I realized that the books and movies he'd left here were missing from the shelf in the living room. I began to panic and I needed him to hold me tightly, but he was nowhere to be found._

_I ran out of my apartment and ran up the stairs to his floor. When I got there, I found the door unlocked, so I tentatively walked in. The apartment was silent, so I headed into Edward's bedroom to see if he was sleeping. When I opened the door, my heart broke into a million pieces._

_Edward was sleeping, but he wasn't alone; there was a woman next to him. He was holding her tightly against his chest, their fingers intertwined outside of the comforter. If it was even possible, my heart broke into smaller pieces as I looked down at the woman's finger and found a diamond ring. A breathless sob escaped my lips as I began to cry out his name._

"Bella?" I heard my name and someone was shaking my shoulder, waking me. I could feel the dampness on my cheeks, and when I opened my eyes, relief washed over me when I saw Edward. "Bella? Sweetheart, are you alright?" he asked, his voice dripping with worry.

"Edward?" I asked, looking for confirmation that I wasn't dreaming again.

"I'm here, Bella. I'm here," he said as he wrapped his arms around me tightly. I wrapped my arms around him as tightly as I could, reveling in his existence. "You were having a nightmare. You were crying and calling out my name," he told me.

"I was?" I asked. I knew that I sometimes talked in my sleep, but I was mortified that Edward had heard the remnants of my horrifying nightmare. He nodded as he stared into my eyes. "I can't remember," I lied. There was no way I could tell him about my dream, and all of my other insecurities.

"Its okay, Bella. I'm here and I'm not going to leave you. Sleep baby," he cooed as he began stroking my hair. I fell back to sleep, and thankfully it was dreamless.

When I woke up this time, instead of feeling cold and alone, I was met with the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Edward's eyes were looking back at me and he was smiling. "Good morning," I said to him as I leaned in for a kiss. He reciprocated and placed his hand on my cheek, stroking it lightly with his thumb.

"Good morning yourself," he replied. He was silent for a moment after our lips had broken apart before he spoke again. "You scared me last night," he admitted. His face fell slightly and I hated that I'd done that to him.

"I scared myself a little too," I confessed. "I'm sorry I can't remember more, but all I remember is waking up and feeling so alone and upset." I told him this half-truth and placed my hand on his cheek and lifted his head to meet my gaze. "The moment you held me in your arms I felt safe," I told him honestly. I felt guilty enough that I couldn't tell him the whole truth, so I was being as honest as I could be with him.

He was quiet for a moment before he declared that he was making me breakfast and that I was under no circumstances allowed in the kitchen. I rolled by eyes at him and followed him out of the bedroom. I managed to earn myself the privilege of making the toast before we sat down. Edward really was an excellent cook, I had to admit. Maybe one day I would let him cook in the kitchen without acting like such a control freak.

When we finished breakfast, we showered together and got dressed. The small cottage had a nice porch outside that I suggested we take advantage of before we left. We sat outside on the porch for a while, until Edward picked me up and insisted we walk along the path. We walked until we stumbled upon an opening in the woods that lead to the water.

There was a beautiful view of the sound, which was complimented by a gorgeous lighthouse on the rocks. "Wow," Edward exclaimed. I simply nodded my head in agreement.

"Come on," I said, grabbing his hand. "Let's go sit on the rocks." We did just that, and we sat there until the sunset. It was actually sunny, so the sunset took my breath away and when I looked over at Edward, he was staring at me. "What?" I asked.

"The sunset on your face," he said simply as he shrugged his shoulders. "It's nice to look at." I blushed a deep shade of red. "We should get back, we've got to be out of here by ten," he said as he looked at his watch. It was just after eight, so we had just enough time to pack and catch the next ferry back to Seattle. Back to reality.

We stood up and Edward wrapped his arms around my waist as I did the same. I sighed as I cuddled up to his side. "We should come back here soon."

_You only stay with me in the morning  
You only hold me when I sleep  
I was meant to tread the water  
But now I've gotten in too deep  
_

_For every piece of me that wants you  
Another piece backs away_

_You give me something  
That makes me scared alright  
This could be nothing  
But I'm willing to give it a try  
Please give me something  
Because someday I might know my heart_

**Click that pretty, pretty review button for a teaser from Chapter 14!**


	15. Please Don't Stop the Rain

**Here it is, folks. Before I begin, I would like to address a few minor things.**

**Most of you had concerns about Bella's dream, and all that I can tell you is that, it's a story, and the dream does have a purpose.**

**Also, find me on twitter (flightlssbird11). It's getting lonely over there with like 5 followers! Come on people, I know you tweet!**

**Lastly, I would like to thank my partner in smut, coldplaywhore, who saves me every week when I ask her to beta. Thank you to everyone who reviews, teasers for all of you!**

**I don't own Twilight, but I do own a new Iron & Wine and Kings of Leon CDs.**

**BPOV**

The next week, after returning from Puget Sound, Edward and I managed to finally work out a routine together. With his unpredictable schedule at the hospital and my night classes, it was hard to see each other and as a result we often spent the night apart. On the rare occasions that we both had a night free, we always spent it together. I looked forward to those nights most, because I always slept more peacefully in Edward's arms. We did see each other more during the day when he worked overnight shifts, so I was grateful for that.

I often found my thoughts drifting back to the nightmare I'd had when we were away on Bainbridge Island. The feeling of dread I experienced when I woke was still fresh in my mind, even though Edward had been there to comfort me. I realized that I couldn't shake the fear that Edward was going to hurt me the same way Jacob did. I was trying my best to convince myself that he wouldn't, but at the same time I didn't want to convince myself that he was infallible, because then I would be crushed if something did happen.

I needed a little help. I silently wished that Alice was still here so she could help me with this, but I hadn't heard from her in so long. We'd only talked on a few occasions since she left for New York and I missed my best friend. I immediately realized how long it actually had been and I promised myself that I would call her as soon as I could.

Wednesday night, Edward and I were spending a rare evening together at my apartment. I told him to come over right after his shift ended at seven and that I would have dinner ready for him. I didn't hear him walk in over the sounds of 'La Vie en Rose' by Edith Piaf playing throughout my apartment as I cooked the lasagna.

The next thing I knew, I felt his strong arms wrap around my waist and I jumped slightly as he began kissing my neck, his tender lips firm against my bare skin. "Hello, beautiful," he said as I turned to kiss him on the mouth.

"You scared me," I murmured against his lips as he began to laugh quietly at my reaction to his arrival.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. You look so damned sexy when you dance and I needed to get my hands on you," he growled. If he didn't stop that talk soon, dinner was not going to get finished, so I handed him a beer and shooed him to the living room.

"Emmett called me today," he began. "He and Rosalie got engaged and my parents are throwing them some lavish party next Saturday." I lifted my head as his words peeked my interest. "You're not busy are you?"

I shook my head vigorously. "That's great. Going home sounds good right now, I haven't seen my mother in what seems like forever," I said. I put the lasagna in the oven and grabbed a beer for myself before I sat down in the living room next to Edward and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"I figured we'd have to leave early Saturday morning because I have a late shift Friday night and we'd come back sometime Sunday. How does that sound?" he asked me as I sat on my feet and cuddled closer to Edward's side.

"That sounds perfect, I'm a little nervous about meeting your mother though," I admitted. I hadn't officially met Edward's mother, Esme, I knew Carlisle from the hospital and even though we'd been dating for almost three months, I'd never met his mother. We hadn't had the chance to get together before I moved to Seattle.

"Don't worry about it Bella, she'll love you. Trust me," he said as he kissed my temple in reassurance.

"I hope you're right."

When dinner was finally ready, we sat down to eat. Well, Edward ate at least. I was too nervous about meeting Esme. I couldn't remember ever having to worry about meeting the parents of someone I was in a relationship with. Ever. With Jacob, I'd already known his father, since we'd been good friends before we started dating. This was entirely different and I was terrified that she would hate me. Despite Edward's reassuring touches and glances throughout dinner, I was still petrified.

The rest of that night was spent in my bedroom, where Edward continued to give me reassuring touches in other areas of my body.

The next afternoon, I called Alice. "Bella!" she answered happily after the second ring.

"Hey, Al! How's it going in New York?" After a moment of silence, I contemplated asking her again.

"Hmm?" she replied, she had obviously been distracted by something.

"I _said_ how goes things in New York?"

"Oh, Bella, it's great! I love it. I'm learning so much about fashion and the history and I've been meeting so many experienced people, it's amazing!" she gushed. Well, as long as she was happy, I was happy.

"That's awesome, Alice! I'm glad you're so happy," I told her honestly.

"What about you? Didn't you have an interview at that high school?" she asked curiously.

"Oh, Al it was perfect! I got a call from them last week and I got the job! I get to start this year for the spring semester."

"I'm so happy for you, Bella. So, how's Edward?" she asked.

I sighed in contentment, which was my usual response when anyone asked about Edward. "He's great, Alice, really. We're actually headed home to Forks this weekend for Emmett and Rose's engagement party."

"That's great, Jasper told me when we talked on the phone last week," she replied. She sounded a little bit sad at the mention of Jasper and I could understand why. I wouldn't exactly be bursting with excitement if I lived across the country from the guy I was dating.

"I'm sure you'll get to be home soon, I miss you," I told her as I tried to lighten her seemingly dampened mood.

"I miss you too, Bella. I wish I could come to the party. Jasper mentioned it, but I have to put together a giant portfolio before the end of the month and I'm swamped," she said quickly.

We talked a little more about what she was up to in New York and the engagement party. She told me that she'd been working on designing a few new things and that she would throw something together for me and courier it to me in time for the engagement party. I encouraged her to create something, but I kept it in the back of my head that I should have a backup dress just in case Alice's creation didn't get here fast enough. I told her how I was worried about meeting Esme, but Alice, like Edward, reassured me that she would love me. We said our goodbyes and promised to call more often.

The next week did not begin in a way to help ease my worries about meeting Edward's mother, either. One of my assignments for class had been moved up from Thursday to Monday, so I had to have it done before the end of the weekend.

As I walked into class Monday, I saw James and waved to him. We hadn't really spoken to each other much since what happened with him and Edward and it had kind of gotten awkward. He tentatively waved back and then sat down, opting not to come and talk to me at all. I didn't like that things had turned out this way, but as I thought about it, it was probably for the better. I mean, I didn't even really know James and I certainly didn't think any sort of friendship with him was worth damaging my relationship with Edward.

As if the fates planned my decision with this night, my truck wouldn't start as I tried to leave after class. I called for a tow truck and then I called Edward to see if he would come get me, rather than ride home with the random guy driving the truck.

James approached me as I waited and was cursing my ancient piece of machinery. "Bella, need some help?" he asked casually.

I reluctantly turned towards him. "Oh, hey James," I began. "Actually I've got it all under control; a tow truck is already on its way," I said calmly, deciding not to mention Edward, in hopes of avoiding more tension for the evening.

"Oh, okay. Do you want some company while you wait? I would hate to leave you alone and unprotected at night," he said simply. I really didn't know how to tell him no, since he was only offering to keep me company rather than leave me in an empty parking lot.

"Sure, James," I said as I smiled at him.

"Listen," he started after a moment. "I was wondering if we could give that whole study thing another try," he asked. Was he really going to make me explain things to him? I guess he was. _Here goes nothing._

"James, I'm sorry. After what happened last time, well, let's just say that after you left, it wasn't pretty. Thankfully Edward and I worked everything out, but I don't think doing it again is a good idea," I said as I braced myself for his response.

Just as I suspected, he heard my words loud and clear, but in a way that completely shocked me. His nostrils flared and for the first time James seemed frightening to me. He wasn't the tentative, awkward man that had been in my apartment or in any of our classes. No, the person his eyes reflected back at me was terrifying and as I looked around me, I saw no one who could help. "Well, that's too bad, Bella. It's not my fault that your asshole of a boyfriend won't share," he snapped at me and I immediately backed away from him. I was officially scared.

"What are you talking about?" I asked quietly, trying to be brave and confront him. However I was really just praying that Edward would be here soon and trying to buy myself some more time.

"I mean, if he's not going to share you, then I'm just going to have to get greedy," he said as he grabbed my arm, hard. I tried to pull away from him, but it was no use. His other hand came around to grab my other arm as I tried again to shake him off, to no avail.

"Let me go!" I screamed as he glanced around the darkness for a moment before releasing one of my arms and dragging me towards the back of my truck. I planted my feet down on the ground as forcefully as I could, but James was stronger. I bent my back and my feet scraped the concrete all the way to where he wanted me and pushed me up against the tailgate of my truck.

"Not a chance," he whispered in my ear as the tears started falling from my eyes. I had parked in a smaller parking lot, slightly secluded from the larger one, so I couldn't see if anyone was there to help me and I prayed that I would be able to make enough noise for Edward to hear me. I tried to assure myself that he would be here soon, but panic surged through me at the thought of Edward never finding me. James' hand moved to cover my mouth as a sob escaped my lips. "Be very quiet now," he said as he met my panicked gaze. I began sobbing constantly and shaking my head in a silent plea for him to stop.

How had I let this happen? I yelled at myself in my head. Edward had seen a threat in James and I ignored him. I was so stupid and now I was paying for it. I tried to stay quiet because I really didn't know what James was capable of, but as his hand snaked down from my neck to my arm and around the swell of my breast, I shivered and sobbed once again. "Shut your fucking mouth, you tease. Don't pretend like you haven't been teasing me all this time. I know you want this." My tears began to fall more quickly, gathering where James' hand was against my face, causing it to slip slightly.

Seizing my opportunity, I bit down. His hand snapped away from my face and as soon as my mouth was completely free, I let out a scream. Before I knew it, his hand was covering my mouth again and I tasted blood. "Play nice, you little bitch," he said through clenched teeth. I began sobbing again, praying that someone had heard me.

Before I knew what was happening, the weight of James' body was lifted from my own. I opened my eyes, which I'd squeezed shut and relief flooded through my body as I saw Edward sprinting towards me. My legs were trembling as I sunk to the ground while the sobs of both terror and relief escaped my body.

"Bella, Bella shhh. It's oka-" as quickly as the frightening pressure of James' body had been ripped from me; the comforting pressure of Edward's embrace had been torn away as well.

"Edward!" I screamed as I saw what was in front of me. James was straddling Edward and had him pinned to the ground as he was punching him. Somehow Edward managed to get his foot to James' stomach and push him over his head, causing James to fall flat on his back behind Edward's head. Edward turned to look at me.

"Bella, run to my car and call the cops!" he yelled. I sat there, frozen, scared to leave him. "Go, Bella!" he said as he moved towards James again. I finally snapped out of it once I saw Edward tear James a good right hook and looked for the Volvo, when I finally spotted it, I ran. I opened the door and began looking for his cell phone frantically, finally finding it and dialing 911.

I tried explaining the situation as calmly as I could to the operator and she assured me that the police would be there as soon as possible and to try my best to make sure James didn't get away. I ran back towards Edward and found him lying on the ground as James kicked him. I looked around in a frenzy and remembered what was in the back of my truck. I managed to open the tailgate with trembling hands and pulled out a 2x4 that Charlie had used to put behind the truck once when I'd had problems with my brakes.

I quickly grabbed it and ran over to James, hitting him over the head. Apparently, I didn't hit him with enough force, because he quickly turned around and slapped me across the face. "You little bitch!" he screamed. I dropped the plank of wood as Edward got up and was back on his feet.

James began to stalk towards me as Edward got his attention. "Stay away from her!" he shouted. Edward picked up the piece of wood while James' eyes were fixed on me. Without a second thought, Edward swung the plank of wood across James' head. He fell to the ground, passed out. I stood there, staring at him until I felt Edward wrap his arms around me.

"Edward," I sobbed into his chest as I gripped the fabric of his sleeve.

"Its okay, Bella. I'm here now. It's fine," he said soothingly. Just then, I heard the sirens of a police cruiser coming towards us and once it pulled to a stop the two male officers got out of the car.

"This is your attacker, Miss?" one of them asked me. I nodded my head as they both moved to handcuff James and put him in the back of their cruiser. They began filling out their report after they informed both Edward and I that we would need to give statements and called an ambulance for Edward, which he declined, but I insisted on. He had a rather large cut above his eyebrow that would probably need stitches. When the ambulance got there, I sat down next to Edward when the EMT began to look at his cuts and bruises and I began to apologize for what had happened.

"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have let him stay with me," I said when I sat down as he pulled me to him and I began to cry as my tears started to soak Edward's t-shirt. He pulled away so he could look at me.

"No, Bella. You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. Then I didn't even see where you were, your phone must be dead because you didn't answer when I called to try and find you," he said as he placed his hand on my cheek and stroked it with his thumb, wiping away the tears that fell there.

"It's not your fault, Edward. I was so stupid. I invited him into my house without knowing what he was capable of. You tried to tell me and I ignored it," I paused to take a shaky breath. "I should have known something was wrong."

He shook his head with fervor. "Bella, even I wouldn't have guessed he was capable of doing something like this. Did he touch you?"

My eyes widened slightly at his question and I shook my head. "No, not really, just stroking my skin. I'm fine." He looked at me questioningly.

"Where?" he asked. "Where did he touch you?"

"My neck, my arms… and my breast," I admitted. Anger flashed through Edward's eyes and he crushed my body to his as I wrapped my arms around him as tightly as I could. Edward held me to him while the paramedic stitched up his forehead and I assured him that I didn't need an examination.

After a few hours, Edward and I were finally able to leave. The tow truck had come for my truck while we were giving our statements to the police and we'd given him the directions to my apartment. When we arrived back to our building, we saw the truck in a parking spot and I made a note to call the shop tomorrow and get it fixed.

Edward insisted on taking me back to his apartment to spend the night with him and I gladly agreed because I really didn't want to spend the night without him. He had a pretty early shift at the hospital, but promised he would wake me to let me know when he left. I was grateful for that, fearing the abandonment that I would surely feel if I woke without him next to me.

By the time we walked into Edward's apartment and I changed into a pair of his boxers and a t-shirt, I was exhausted, but I couldn't find it in me to go to sleep. As we lay in bed, Edward began stroking my hair as we listened to Iron & Wine. As soon as 'Passing Afternoon' came through the speakers, combined with the feel of Edward running his hands through my hair, I was gone.

Before the sun was up, I felt someone gently shaking me awake. "Bella? Sweetheart, I have to leave for the hospital," Edward's soothing voice broke through my grogginess.

I opened my eyes just enough to see his face and mumbled a quiet 'okay.' He leaned down to kiss me, his tie hitting my thigh when his lips met mine, and despite the fact that I was tired, I grabbed his tie and pulled him down further towards me. After a moment he broke away from me, giving me one last chaste peck on the lips before whispering goodbye and I fell into an easy sleep, his blankets and his scent completely surrounding me.

**EPOV**

Leaving Bella to go to work that morning was the hardest thing to do. I must have laid there with her for an hour, just watching her sleep before I finally worked up the nerve to get out of bed. That being done, I had to race to get ready. When I was finally all set, I woke her up gently and I kissed her goodbye. I left a note for her telling her when I would be back and that I would see her tonight.

As I drove to the hospital, I couldn't help but think of the events from the night before. My hand drifted to the top of my head that had a small gauze bandage over it, covering the seven stitches that had been put there last night by the paramedic. I shuddered at the thought of how they got there, the button on James' shirt as he punched me from above.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter as I thought of when I'd pulled into the empty parking lot and saw Bella was nowhere in sight. I had called her phone, but there was no answer. I started to get worried and called her twice more when all of a sudden I heard it. It was the most horrifying sound I'd ever heard, a scream. My head whipped around until I saw Bella's truck parked in a smaller parking lot around the side of the building and I ran towards her as fast as my legs would take me.

When I reached her and saw that animal on top of her, I completely lost it. All I could think of was getting him the hell off her, so I did. I pulled him away from her with as much force as I could muster and threw him out of the way so I could get to Bella. I crouched down beside her where she'd sunk to the ground and tried telling her it would be alright, but I wasn't allotted enough time before James got a hold of me.

After Bella had called the police, it was only a matter of time before they got there and James was incapacitated. I held Bella to me as tightly as I could while we stayed there and the paramedics stitched me up and the police took our statements. I was trying to reassure her that I was there and that I would do my best to make sure nothing like that ever happened to her again.

After that first morning, leaving Bella became a little easier. I was so nervous leaving her alone, but I rationalized that I couldn't keep a constant eye on her so I might as well loosen my death grip a little. She'd taken off that whole week from class, adjusting her way back to normalcy and after we returned from Forks she planned to go back to class and resume our normal routine. But for the past week, Bella and I had spent every night together, regardless of whether or not I had an early shift at the hospital.

Now, as I stood in front of Bella's apartment door, ready to pick her up to head to Forks, I thought about how I wanted to tell her how I felt about her, if not in so many words. Well, as many words as I'd like to use, but not using the three most important ones. I needed to let her know that I would always be there to protect her, because although I knew that, she didn't. She didn't know how deeply in love with her I had fallen and I wasn't ready to tell her that just yet, but I needed to communicate something along those lines to her… for her.

When she came to the door, she took my breath away. She stood before me in a dark blue dress that wrapped around one of her shoulders and reached just below her knee, with silk that wrapped tightly around her waist. She caught me staring at her, speechless and grimaced.

"Blame Alice for this monstrosity, she insisted on making me a dress," she blurted out.

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella. You look gorgeous, I'll have to thank Alice when I see her next," I said with a laugh as she rolled her eyes at me.

"Whatever, Edward. I don't care what she says, I'm wearing the flip flops," she said as she stuck one of her feet out to show me her dark blue flip flop that matched the dress, and then pointed to the heels that were lying on the floor. I knew that Bella hated heels, so it didn't surprise me that she wouldn't wear them.

When we finally got to my parents' house a little less than three hours later, Bella froze when she got out of the car. "Edward, she's going to hate me."

I walked over to her, determined to ease her mind, or turn her body to Jell-O, whichever came first. I stood in front of her and ran my hands up and down the sides of her bare arms in an attempt to soothe her. "Bella, I know my mother and there is no doubt in my mind that she is going to adore you," I said before I placed a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose. I gazed into her eyes, trying to communicate to her that everything would be okay. "Now relax." I placed the tips of my fingers behind each of her ears and ran them slowly down her neck as I held her gaze. I placed a soft kiss on her lips, taking her bottom lip between mine gently. "Better?" I asked. She nodded her head and I took her hand as I lead her into the house.

When we knocked on the door, Emmett answered. "Hey, bro," he greeted me as he hugged me. He also leaned in and hugged Bella before he invited us in, where Rosalie walked towards us in a simple black dress and kissed both Bella and I on the cheek.

"Where are Mom and Dad?" I asked them as I looked around the room hoping to catch a glimpse of them.

"In the back yard, Mom is trying to fend Dad off all the food," laughed Emmett.

Bella and I both laughed as well and headed out to the back yard where there was a large white tent pitched with a few tables underneath it. Bella tensed slightly beside me as we walked towards my parents, but I slipped an arm around her waist to try and ease her worries.

Just as we stepped under the tent, disaster struck. Bella tripped over the wire that was holding the tent down and as I moved to catch her, I knocked down the small fountain that stood beside me. I fell to the ground with a thud and a splash as Bella and I stared at this, I managed to catch her before she fell, but I could tell from the expression on her face that she was now officially petrified to face my parents. "It's okay, relax," I whispered in her ear too low for my parents to hear as they gawked at us.

I helped Bella stand and she smoothed out her dress and managed a small smile for my parents as they walked towards us. Although Bella already knew Carlisle from her many trips to the hospital, I'd never introduced her to him as my girlfriend. "Mom, Dad, this is-" I began, but was cut off by Bella.

"Calamity Jane, but you can just call me Bella," she said as she held out her hand to my mother. _God, I loved her._ Everyone then started laughing as the wonderful woman beside me had broken the tension and my mother gladly took her hand.

"It's lovely to meet you, Bella. Edward has told me so much about you," said my mother. My father shook her hand next and told her it was nice to see her again. I knew Bella would have them eating out of the palm of her hand just as easily as she had me.

When all the guests had arrived, the party finally began. Bella seemed to be getting along with my parents swimmingly and I knew her mood had been lifted since we'd arrived. Come to think of it, it was the happiest I'd seen her all week. I was glad that we weren't going to have to dwell on what happened with James, we could move on with our lives and our relationship.

A few hours after the party had started, rain started pouring down, so hard that the tent was useless. Everyone had to make a break for the house. As we all ran inside, trying to escape the pounding rain, I grabbed Bella's hand. She looked at me and smiled, as if she knew what I was trying to tell her, that I would always help her run through the rain.

Once we were inside the house, I didn't let go of her hand. I lead her straight to my old bedroom. When we got upstairs, I closed the door and cupped her face enveloping her lips in mine. "I'll always protect you from the rain," I whispered against her mouth. A small, pleasurable whimper escaped her lips as she brought her hand around to the back of my head and began caressing my hair and I knew she heard the double meaning in my words.

It was the perfect moment for me to tell Bella how I felt. After what happened with James, she needed to know. We continued to kiss in our still soaked clothes and when I pulled away, the look in her eyes told me that she understood what I was trying to tell her. We were interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

"You two better not be having sex in there!" yelled Rosalie as Bella and I laughed. I told Rosalie we would back downstairs in a minute as I watched the most beautiful woman laugh beside me and I knew I would be with her forever.

**I have a link to a couple of English translations of 'La Vie en Rose' on my profile, as well as the usual list of songs and the link for Bella's dress. Now hit that pretty button for a sneak peek of what happens next!**


	16. Here, There and Everywhere

**Okay, let's just get right to it, shall we?**

**I'd like to thank all of my loyal readers who review every chapter, ****hgbkwrm, hopelessromantic09, JillMH, Groovechild1964, clancy119, glo4twilight, fanficreader83 and carebear309. Givin' some of the love back!**

**And of course a huge thanks to coldplaywhore, who the two of us have recently decided, I get to officially call my beta :) Woo! She loved this chapter and we hope you guys do too!**

**Oh and follow me on Twitter, I'm flightlssbird11. Glam009 was the only one who found me last time, I need more! LOL. **

**I don't own Twilight. I do own an acoustic Fender though. It's sitting on the other side of my room, mocking me because I haven't played it in 5 years. **

**BPOV**

When Edward and I ran upstairs to his old bedroom and he told me that he would always protect me from the rain, I knew what he was really trying to tell me. He would be there to protect me from anything, like he did with James. The thought of him always being there for me sent a shiver of pleasure down my body and I think I may have whimpered into his mouth at that thought. In fact, I don't know how far we would have gone if Rosalie had not interrupted us.

We quickly snapped out of it and changed into dry clothes; thankfully we were staying here tonight so I had clothes of my own to change into.

We went back downstairs, hand in hand and said goodbye to all of the guests. Everyone had decided to leave since they had all gotten soaked in the rain. "I can't wait to be alone with you," Edward whispered into my hair, which was now let down into uncontrollable locks. I blushed slightly at his words and nodded my head, confirming that I couldn't wait to be alone with him either. Although I wasn't sure how to go about it since we were staying at Carlisle and Esme's tonight.

After all the guests had left, Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle, Esme, Edward and I all sat down in the living room for some casual conversation. Apparently, Jasper couldn't make it to the party because of something or other, but after my conversation with Alice, I knew he was probably just missing her like she was missing him and would have felt left out without his partner.

"And then he finally just blurts it out," Rosalie said with a laugh, actually it was more a snort than a laugh. She was explaining how Emmett had proposed to her. They were at the restaurant where Emmett had first said he loved her and apparently she was getting mad at him because she wanted to hurry up and leave to go to some club that Emmett had promised to take her to afterwards. He was stalling because he'd ordered a cake with the words 'Rosalie, will you marry me?' written on it and the bakery had been late delivering it. Apparently, right before the cake arrived at the table, Emmett couldn't take it anymore and blurted out the question, followed by the cake arriving less than a minute later.

"Yeah, you should have seen the look on your face, babe," Emmett said. Rosalie elbowed him in the ribs as she continued to laugh. They continued to make goo-goo eyes at each other until Edward cleared his throat. They quickly snapped out of it and we continued with more wedding conversation.

"So where are you guys tying the knot?" I asked curiously. Everyone looked at me questioningly and I knew I was missing something.

Rosalie finally spoke up. "At the Central Park Boathouse in New York," she said.

"Wow," I started. "That's amazing. Is there a story behind that location?" I asked curiously.

Emmett and Rosalie exchanged a knowing look with each other once again and then with everyone else around me. I could tell that even Edward knew the story because he tightened his grip on my arm with the hand that he had draped around my shoulder; he must have sensed the fact that I felt out of the loop.

"I actually grew up in New York City," Rosalie explained genuinely. "I went to Columbia and I loved it. I always felt at home in the city. Then one day my freshman year, a few friends and I decided to go to lunch at the boathouse and there was this really obnoxious guy grumbling something about the portions not being big enough," she said as she began to smile wider.

"In all fairness, their portions were fucking tiny!" interrupted Emmett.

"Emmett, language!" Esme scolded. He quickly apologized as the rest of us laughed and Rosalie continued with her story.

"So after my friends and I spent our entire lunch eyeing him and laughing, we left and he was _still_ eating," she said as she rolled her eyes. "Then after we left, I realized I'd forgotten my purse, so of course I ran back to get it when I bumped into this huge thing carrying a doggie bag," she said as she nodded her head in Emmett's direction. We all laughed, even Emmett, clearly reminiscing happily about the day he met his future wife.

Then Emmett picked up the story. "She fell flat on her back and stared at me with the most confused face I'd ever seen," he began. "I was holding her damned purse too, which she must not have realized because she started screaming at me. I'd never heard so many profanities come out of such a pretty girl. I was stunned," he said as both he and Rosalie laughed.

"Emmett, I never fall and you know this," said Rosalie, trying to explain why she'd gotten so mad at him that day. She picked up the story again.

"So after staring at me with the most dumbfounded expression on his face, he just handed my purse out to me, before he realized that I was still on the ground and helped me up."

"And the rest is history," Emmett finished proudly.

"Yeah, I don't think he's stopped touching me since he picked me up off the ground that day," Rosalie laughed, followed by the rest of us. "He's the only thing that could have gotten me to move away from New York," she said as she looked at Emmett and smiled happily.

We spent the next hour talking about the wedding. Rosalie explained how the boathouse had an unexpected cancellation, which apparently involved a bride sleeping with half the groom's family, and so they would be getting married on November 7th. A month and a half away. Esme was working on getting the entire boathouse rented out to the Cullen wedding since they had such a large guest list. Personally I thought that idea was a bit ridiculous, then again my family was a small one, so I really had no choice but to have a small wedding. _If I ever get married,_ I thought dryly to myself.

"So bro I hope you know that it's totally assumed that you're my Best Man, so you better be up for the job," said Emmett.

"Sure, Emmett. Although I'm a little afraid of what that job might entail. It won't involve me burying a body in the desert will it?" responded Edward as we all laughed at their brotherly exchange. I reached up and held his hand, which was draped over my shoulders, proud that he and Emmett were so close.

Then Rosalie asked me a surprising question. "Bella, I was wondering," she began, sounding unsure, but looked to Emmett to increase her confidence. "You know I really don't have many girlfriends, I mean, none that last a particularly long time. My entire family is pretty much all men and I have no sisters. So I was wondering if you would do me the honor of being one of my bridesmaids."

I was completely shocked by her question. I mean, I didn't dislike Rosalie by any means, but we weren't close either. I'd only met her on a few occasions and on all of them I'd been with Edward. But after all, Emmett was Edward's brother and I did like Rosalie, so why not? Plus Edward was the best man, so I'd probably luck out and get to walk down the aisle with him. "Sure, Rose I would love to," I said as she stood up to give me a hug.

After a while, the conversation had died down and Esme excused herself to help clean up, which Carlisle was confused about since they were paying people to clean, but she wasn't having any of that. Rosalie and I quickly offered our services and left Edward, Emmett and Carlisle to talk some man talk. I kissed Edward on the cheek as I cupped his face and he held my hand there with his. He held it there until I got up and then he kissed my palm as I smiled and left him.

We did everything that we could inside and I was helping Esme clean up the mess from the party outside when it had finally stopped raining. Everything under the tent had gotten soaked and we were basically just going around with giant garbage bags to dump everything in to.

As I was clearing off one of the tables, I felt an unfamiliar touch brush gently along my arm. Immediately, I started to panic and thoughts of James stroking my arms, my neck and my breasts flashed through my mind. Simultaneously, I turned around quickly and let out a scream. When I finally realized that there was no immediate danger, I looked in front of me and saw a petrified Emmett standing a few feet from me with his hands raised on either side of his head. What had just happened?

I don't know how long I stared at him before I saw Edward running towards me. I almost didn't comprehend the fact that he was now holding me and trying to get me to look at him because I was so focused on Emmett's face. I couldn't believe I'd thought he would hurt me. I finally focused on Edward's face, which was contorted in pain and confusion. He was holding my face in his hands trying to get me to look at him. "Bella… baby, what happened?" he asked with concern.

"I- I don't know," I replied honestly. "I felt someone touch me and I panicked. I thought it was…" I trailed off. Edward put his head down and he knew that I meant James. Suddenly, he snapped his head up and turned around quickly to walk toward Emmett with determination.

"What the fuck did you do?" Edward yelled at his brother. "Why did you touch her?" he finished as he stormed towards Emmett, who looked impossibly more mortified than he had a second ago.

"Edward, I didn't even know I touched her! My hand brushed her arm, that's it," Emmett said as his expression turned from shock to anger. My instincts were telling me to stop Edward and tell him that it was just an accident, but I couldn't make the words come out of my mouth. I was so scared that James had affected me this much still, a week later. I thought I'd moved on; I'd never felt fear like this since that night when it actually had been James touching me.

"Edward," I choked out. I'd meant for it to sound reprimanding because I really didn't want him blaming Emmett for anything. I obviously didn't succeed because he immediately turned towards me. I must have been shaking harder than I thought because the next thing I knew I was limp in his arms.

"It's okay, Bella. Calm down, nothing's wrong, James isn't here," he whispered in my ear. This was the third time in such a short span of time that Edward was stuck comforting me. I needed to get my act together, I wasn't that weak. I didn't need to be comforted and coddled every time something upset me. It was wrong of me to be so dependent on Edward. I quickly snapped out of it and took a deep breath.

"Edward?" I heard Carlisle ask from behind us. Edward didn't respond, he was completely focused on me.

"Edward, Bella, is everything alright?" Esme said from behind me. I was completely mortified that I'd just caused this whole scene.

"I'm fine. It wasn't Emmett's fault, Edward. Don't worry about it," I insisted. He looked at me, concern still written all over his face, so I tried to communicate with him through my eyes, telling him that I was fine. He looked at me for a moment more and let it go, kissing my cheek and grabbing my hand. "I'm sorry, Emmett."

"Don't worry, Bel. It's all good." Emmett said. Everyone pretty much dropped the issue after that, I guess they were just trying not to pry, but I was just glad they didn't push the subject.

Edward stayed outside with us and helped clean up. By the time it was all finished, it was ten o'clock and I was feeling infinitely more relieved than earlier. I had pushed the incident with Emmett to the back of my mind, knowing full well it wasn't his fault. Edward and I were heading over to my parent's tomorrow for a visit before heading back to Seattle.

Not long after we got back into the house, Edward and I headed up to his bedroom, wiped from the day and the drive out to Forks earlier in the morning. We were changing our clothes when I decided to pull out my secret weapon of torture. I'd picked up a navy blue cami and panty set with a lace bust at Victoria's Secret a couple of weeks ago and I'd been waiting for a good time to wear it for Edward. For some reason, I'd packed it with me for this weekend, wondering if he'd actually take advantage of it if the opportunity presented itself.

After I put the set on and Edward turned around, his mouth dropped open. "Bella, what the fuck is that?" he asked. He sounded surprised, but despite his question, he didn't sound angry. He sounded lustful. This was so going to work.

I shrugged my shoulders, but I couldn't help the smug smile that was forming at the corners of my mouth. "Nothing. Why?" I asked innocently.

"Baby, get over here," he said, but he walked over to me before I had the chance to move. He placed his warm hands on my shoulders and slowly rubbed them down my arm, taking my hands and bringing them up to his face so he could kiss them. "You're driving my crazy," he said as he cupped his face and his hands felt impossibly warmer on my cheeks. He kissed my lips fiercely as his tongue worked its way into my mouth. I gladly accepted it and put my hands around his neck in a desperate attempt to get him closer to me. Once he was, I could feel his erection pressing against my stomach and I moaned, but decided to torture him further.

"Everyone's downstairs," I murmured against his lips, knowing full well that I was too worked up to care and he oh so obviously was too.

**EPOV**

_Holy shit,_ this woman was trying to kill me. When I turned around and saw Bella in that outfit I was done for. There was no way I would be able to resist her now, even if I tried. Not that I really wanted to.

"Everyone's downstairs," she whispered seductively against my lips. I really, really didn't give a fuck at this particular moment. We'd have to try and be quiet, but I was taking her right now. I wanted her too much to care.

"I don't give a fuck," I said before I latched her mouth to mine again. I picked her up and practically threw her onto my childhood bed. My lips found her neck and I began sucking on it with fervor. I could see that Bella's lips were pressed together in an effort to keep her moans minimal. My hard on was straining against my thin boxers, which was thankfully the only thing I was wearing.

Before I knew what was happening, Bella turned us over so that she was straddling my waist. Her swollen lips found purchase on my neck and she began placing open-mouthed kisses over my body down to my stomach until she reached the waistband of my boxers. Her fingers dipped underneath it and slowly slid my boxers down, my cock springing free from its confines. She pulled my boxers from my legs and before I knew it she was licking up and down my length. "Fuck, Bella," I muttered. I was trying to be quiet, so I grabbed the pillow that was sitting next to me and covered my face to muffle the sounds escaping my mouth.

Her mouth suddenly encased as much of me as she could and I moaned loudly into the pillow before pulling it off, desperate to see her going down on me. Her tongue swirled around the head of my cock as I felt her long hair cascading down on either side of my thighs. She sucked and licked for a few more minutes and I couldn't take it anymore.

I reached down and pulled on her arm. "Get up here, Bella," I said before she moved away from my length. I shivered as I felt the seemingly cold air, which was rather unpleasant since I'd just been buried inside Bella's hot mouth. I pulled her to me and kissed her forcefully as she straddled me once again. She finally let me break free of her grasp and I quickly muttered that we needed a condom. She hopped off me as quickly as she could, almost tripping on the way to her purse, where she pulled out the foil wrapper and tore it open before she was even back on the bed.

When she finally came back to me, she rolled the condom onto me and I reached for the hem of her camisole and quickly pulled it over her head before yanking her panties from her body. As soon as she was free of them, I placed my hands on her hips and slid her down onto my aching hard on. We both moaned at the sensation as we quickly remembered we had to be quiet. We laughed a little before I began moving her up and down on me.

She quickly set her own pace on top of me and put her hands on my chest as she began to whimper. "Shhh," I reminded her. Fuck I couldn't remember to remind myself as it was, especially since the sight before me was fucking stunning. Bella in all her naked glory, her breasts bouncing gently as she slid up and down on my cock. It was like I was fucking hypnotized as I watched her, her hair swaying softly around her shoulders as a slight smile broke out on her pink lips.

"I can't, Edward. I'm so close," she whispered as quietly as she could manage. I could feel how close she was by how tight she felt around my dick and after her earlier work on me; I wasn't going to last long either.

I thrust up, my hips colliding with hers and then I began to rub her clit gently and my other hand came up to cover her mouth as she did the same for me. After a few more rough thrusts, I felt her spasm around me as she whimpered into my hand. A moment later I joined her in ecstasy, spilling into her.

We rode out our orgasms before I grabbed Bella and pulled her down on top of me. We lay there for a few moments until our heavy breathing had finally subsided. When she finally rolled off of me, gently pulling me out of her, I pulled off the condom and threw it into the garbage. I knew I wouldn't have to worry about my mother finding it since she hired a service to clean the house.

I pulled Bella back to me and turned off the light on the nightstand. "Goodnight, my little tease," I whispered into her ear as I hugged her more tightly to my chest and I felt more than heard her laugh in my arms.

"Goodnight, Edward." As I felt her breathing even out, I knew she'd fallen asleep. I ran my hands through the hair that was running down her shoulder and I knew that she was the only woman I ever wanted to hold in my arms for the rest of my life.

It was the picture perfect moment as my mind drifted to a song that always reminded me of Bella and watching her sleep.

_There, running my hands through her hair  
Both of us thinking how good it can be_

_Someone is speaking but she doesn't know he's there  
I want her everywhere and if she's beside me  
I know I need never care  
But to love her is to need her everywhere  
Knowing that love is to share_

_Each one believing that love never dies  
Watching her eyes and hoping I'm always there_

As the song played out in my head, I thought about Bella's scare with Emmett. I hated that she wouldn't let me take care of her. That's all I wanted to do, I just wanted to watch over her and protect her when she needed me, but she wouldn't let me. I could easily see that she was fine afterwards, and that was the only reason I didn't push her. I kept stroking her hair and I soon drifted off to sleep, holding my girl tightly.

The next morning, my mother insisted on feeding Bella and I breakfast before we left to go see Renee and Charlie. Luckily I'd already met both of her parents, so I didn't share Bella's anxiety about seeing them. Although I didn't know either of them very well, I still needed to make sure I made a good impression and make sure that they knew I wasn't about to break their daughter's heart. Especially Charlie, who seemed a little skeptical since he held a grudge against Jacob for what he'd done to Bella.

Before we left, my father pulled me aside. "Edward, is everything alright with Bella? Your mother and I were a bit concerned with what happened last night," he asked me, truly sounding concerned.

I took a deep breath, tying to decide how to be truthful with him and not breach Bella's privacy. "Yeah, Dad. She's fine. She had a little scare last week and I guess it left her a little jittery. Last night was the first time since it happened that she's been so affected by it," I told him. He didn't seem to accept that answer, so I divulged a little more. "She's completely fine now though. I think what happened last night kind of snapped her out of it. Like maybe she had all that fear bottled up inside and what happened with Emmett finally let it out. I can see it," I told him, and I could. I could see that Bella had gotten over what happened with James, and it amazed me, much like everything else she did. She was tough, and that was one of the many reasons I loved her.

"Well, we're just glad to know that she's okay," said my father as he patted me on the back and we got back to the girls.

We left my parents' house around twelve, my mother giving Bella a hug before we left, which made me endlessly happy that I'd been right about Esme taking to Bella as easily as I thought she would.

When we arrived at the house, Renee ran outside to greet us and pulled Bella into a hug. "Bella, honey! I'm so happy you're here!" she squeaked.

"I missed you too, mom," Bella said sweetly as she looked over her mother's shoulder at me and made a face that suggested she was being crushed by her mother's grasp. Renee pulled away from Bella and before I knew it, I was trapped in her death grip. _Well, at least she likes me,_ I thought to myself as I smiled.

"It's good to see you Mrs. Swan," I said.

"Please, Edward. Call me Renee. Oh and Bella, you were right… abs of steel," she insisted with a chuckle as Bella looked at me with her eyes wide in mortification.

"Renee," I corrected myself as I simply laughed off her comment.

We walked into the house where Charlie was watching a baseball game. "Charlie Swan, get up off your ass and say hello to your daughter," chastised Renee. Charlie reluctantly got up from the couch and walked over to us.

"Hey, Dad," Bella said sweetly as she hugged him and it was evident that Charlie was not as open with his emotions as his wife.

"Chief Swan," I said as I held my hand out for him to shake.

"Edward," he said as he took my hand and nodded his head.

"Oh, Edward. Call him Charlie, for god's sake. Right Charlie?" Renee interrupted.

"Uh sure," said Charlie, sounding like he didn't want to get that comfortable with me. I was determined to change that.

I ended up sitting with Charlie and watching the Mariners game while Bella and Renee went into the kitchen to make lunch. Charlie had settled into an awkward silence until Shawn Kelley gave away three runs in a row. Both Charlie and I yelled at the television at the exact same time. We looked at each other and laughed and Charlie finally broke the tension.

"So, Edward. You've been seeing my daughter for what… three months now?" he asked me. _Here it comes,_ I thought to myself.

"Almost, sir," I said proudly.

"I suggest you get out of this now if you don't intend to follow through. I can see how you've affected her," he told me, looking at me with fierce protection in his eyes. I didn't think the man was capable of so many words.

"I assure you, sir I intend to follow Bella wherever she takes me. I really care for her, more than she probably knows." There, no need to scare the father with that whole love thing right? Especially when you haven't even told the girl yet.

Charlie stared at me for a moment and his eyes softened a little. "I'm going to trust you on that, Edward. I don't know why I should, considering what she's been through, but I will and so help me if you hurt her, you'll live to regret it," he told me calmly.

"I plan on doing no such thing."

"We'll see," he said. "Oh and Edward? Call me Charlie."

"Charlie," I said as I held my hand out for him to shake again. He did and we continued watching the game together, no longer in an awkward silence, but with easy conversation and I had a new confidence in my relationship with Charlie.

When lunch was ready, we all sat in the dining room. "Oh, Mom, Dad I have some news. I got the job at Franklin High School starting the spring semester!" Bella said elatedly, practically bouncing up and down in her seat.

"Oh Bella! That's so exciting!" exclaimed Renee.

"Way to go Bells," said Charlie as he patted her on the back. I smiled, watching her parents congratulate her and I kissed her temple. I held her hand underneath the table as we enjoyed the rest of our lunch. The whole day went just as smoothly, Charlie and I went back to our Mariners game as Bella and her mother cleaned up from lunch.

After spending the whole day with them, Renee tried to get us to stay for dinner, but it was getting late and we had almost a three-hour drive back to Seattle. We said our goodbyes, hugs were exchanged, hands shaken and then we got into my Volvo.

"That was nice, seeing my parents," Bella said contentedly after we'd been on the road for a few minutes.

"I agree. It was nice."

"What did you and my father talk about?"

I decided not to tell her about the conversation I'd had with Charlie earlier, because I didn't want her to be angry with Charlie for threatening me. I almost chuckled at the memory. "How pretty you are," I lied and she knew it.

"Liar," she said with a laugh.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, he gave me permission to call him Charlie without the help of your mother." She smiled and kissed my cheek.

"I'm glad," she said as she rested her head on my shoulder and I put my arm around her. "You know," she added, "as much as I enjoyed this weekend with our families, I can't wait to be alone with you again," she finished as she dipped her fingers below the waist of my jeans. I had to stop and think and remember that I was operating a vehicle before I did something stupid.

"Bella, if we get pulled over for speeding, it's your fault," I said as I pushed down on the pedal harder, desperate to get back to Seattle.

* * *

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	17. Welcome to the Jungle

**Okay, let me just say that you're all lucky you got this tonight. You all and I both owe a huge thanks to my beta, coldplaywhore, for working on this baby when she got home from the wilderness this afternoon.**

**Diaboliquenyx gets a special shout out in this chapter. Thanks for helping me out!**

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**I don't own Twilight, but I do own way too much useless crap.**

**BPOV**

"Stop that, you're tickling me," I laughed as the breath from Edward's nose continued to move along behind my ear. We were currently sitting on his couch, well I was sitting and he more or less hovered over me as he had backed me up as far against the armrest as possible.

Kneeling beside me on the couch, his breathing ceased and I felt him smile against my neck. "What do you want then, Bella?" he asked me. My only response was to reach down to the hem of his t-shirt and pull it over his head, running my hands along his chest as my mouth moved to suck on his neck. He grabbed my face gently and brought my lips to his, his tongue immediately entering my mouth.

"Edward…" I moaned as his hand moved to the hem of my shirt, pulling it over my head quickly. As soon as it was off my mouth was on his again. We spent the next twenty minutes making out like teenagers and I enjoyed every second of it.

A loud knock on the door made me curse that decision to simply make out with Edward instead of getting right down to business. My girly parts will be aching with need for hours. "Fuck," Edward mumbled against my neck. I could feel his hardness against the inside of my thigh and groaned, wishing I could just flip him over on the couch and take care of it for him. We were both still shirtless, me still in my bra, so he quickly got up off of me and grabbed his shirt off the floor. I reached down and did the same while trying to compose myself and make sure my hair wasn't a total wreck.

As soon as Edward opened the door, the booming voice of Emmett was clear throughout the entire apartment. "Hey bro!" he shouted as I got up off the couch and saw Rosalie and Jasper walking in behind him.

"Thanks for calling Emmett," grumbled Edward. I came up behind him and rubbed small circles around his lower back in an effort to calm him and also to remind him that we could finish what we'd started later.

"Hey guys," I welcomed them as they all moved further into the apartment.

"Hey Bell!" Emmett said as he gave me hug. I smiled knowing that he wasn't afraid to touch me after what had happened last time I'd seen him a few weeks ago.

"Hey, Em," I said once he released me. "Hey Rose. Jasper, long time no see."

"Yeah, it's been too long, Bella. Good to see you," said Jasper. "Hey man!" he said to Edward. Then they did that weird thing that guys always do where they slap their hands together and then pull each other into a hug, patting each other on the back. I never did understand that. Men.

I could honestly say that Jasper did not look very good at all. He had slight bags under his eyes and his hair and clothes were all disheveled. I knew firsthand what being away from Alice was making him feel. He looked similar to the way I had been when I was apart from Edward for a month and he'd gone almost two without seeing Alice. I smiled with the knowledge that they'd see each other in a few weeks for the wedding in New York.

Edward and I knew that his brother would be stopping by with Rosalie to do some wedding planning; however, they hadn't set up a date yet, so we were surprised to see them today, as evidenced by the hard on that was still subsiding in Edward's jeans. "So I take it you're going to be dragging me all over the city today?" Edward said with a chuckle as he looked at Emmett.

"Yup," Emmett said, smacking his lips on the 'p.'

"I was hoping Bella would join me," said Rose, who was now looking directly at me with a big smile on her face. "I found a few dress shops and florists that I wanted to look at while the boys go out and get fitted for their tuxedos."

"Sure Rose, I'd love to." Well, that was kind of a lie. I'd _love_ to throw my boyfriend back down on the couch and have my way with him, but I didn't really mind heading out with Rose. She probably wouldn't find much help in me though; I had no idea how to help plan a wedding.

"Excellent. Shall we?" she asked excitedly as I suppressed a groan. I didn't really want to leave Edward at this particular moment, so I looked at him and he looked back at me with the same sympathy I was showing him.

"I guess I'll see you later," I said with a sympathetic smile on my face, my girly parts now angry at me for opening my big mouth.

"I'd better," he said as he kissed me sweetly on the lips. Rose and I quickly ran back down to my apartment so I could get my purse and then we headed out to one of the florists she wanted to visit.

We were in and out of that flower shop within fifteen minutes because apparently all of their flowers were 'fucking disgraceful.' I briefly wondered what the hell I had gotten myself into when I agreed to come with Rosalie, and most of all what I had gotten myself into by agreeing to be one of her bridesmaids.

The trip to the second flower shop was just as bad and ended with me dragging a screaming Rosalie out of the store. Apparently it was rude of the saleswoman to ask her to stop picking at the petals. When I asked Rose exactly why she was picking at the petals, she claimed she was 'testing their durability.' They're flowers – _flowers -_ they're practically where the word 'dainty' originated from. Putting 'flowers' in the same sentence with 'durable' is an oxymoron.

The third flower shop, called _Blossoms by Lynn_, was exactly what Rose had been looking for and thank god for that because if I had to put up with another one of her episodes regarding flowers, I would probably run away screaming.

Now the problem was that she couldn't decide on a bouquet. She was torn between a hand-tied bouquet with white and blue roses complete with silver swirls and crystal fillers, and a larger cascading bouquet with roses in all different shades of blue with small freesia and white calla lilies as fillers. Rosalie was acting like this decision was the most important she would ever make and I tried not to laugh at how over dramatic she was being.

She ended up choosing the cascading bouquet because it had a nicer matching centerpiece and it went better with the bridesmaids dresses she had picked out. _Oh great, she already had a dress picked out?_

When we were finally done picking out all the flowers, we headed to a few dress shops where Rose wanted to look for her dress. "I have a very specific idea of what I want and I won't settle for less," Rose said as we walked along the sidewalk and into the first dress shop. She immediately found one that she liked in the first shop. It was a strapless ivory gown with beaded lace, champagne colored pleated sash that ran the length of the train and a full skirt.

"Are we gonna go find the boys then?" I asked her through the door of the fitting room as she was changing back into her own clothing. I assumed we were finished since she had asked the saleswoman to put the dress on hold for her.

"I can't buy the first one I see, Bella! I need to keep looking. _The _dress could be out there somewhere!" she shrieked through the door as I groaned internally. I really just wanted to see Edward. One afternoon of 'girl time' was enough for me, especially girl time with Rosalie. Don't get me wrong, I liked Rose, I really did. She was nice and I felt like I could talk to her but deep inside she was just _crazy._ She obsessed about the most ridiculous things, things I never even thought about. Like whether or not they should give out Jordan almonds or chocolates; or if her veil should go over her head or not. For all I cared I would have made mason jars filled with Cadbury crème eggs and given them out as favors. Nice, simple and cheap. I pulled out my cell phone and sent a text message to Edward to see how he was, for the sake of my own sanity.

_What are you doing? I wish I could have stayed and had my way with you. –B_ I felt a twinge of regret that I wouldn't be able to see his face as he read my message.

A few minutes later he responded.

_Getting my tux fitted. I assure you it would have been me having my way with you. – E_ I narrowed my eyes at the cell phone, as if he could see me. I hit 'reply' but was interrupted by Rosalie, flying out of the dressing room. I guess that was my cue to follow. I put the phone back into my pocket, waiting until I could focus and come up with something good to make his jeans get a little too tight, if you catch my drift.

After watching Rosalie try on dress after dress, we finally stopped at a shop called _Something New_ where Rose immediately started attacking the racks.

"So Bella... I have to know. Is Edward as well endowed as Emmett?" asked Rosalie with a serious expression on her face as I groaned for a moment. She started sifting through some racks of wedding gowns and I wondered how the hell she could be so blasé about her fiancé's umm... junk.

"Depends... how well endowed is Emmett?" I asked as Rosalie suddenly held her hands out wide and I heard myself gasp involuntarily. She then implied that he was as thick as her wrist and I shuddered. How does one deal with a redwood for a fiancé?

A saleswoman interrupted our conversation, thankfully. "Is there anything I can help you ladies with?" she asked as I turned to look at her. She was short, but slim with long red hair that she had clipped back on each side behind her ears. She was pretty and she looked to be in her early twenties, about my age.

"Do you have any dresses that won't make my ass look big?" said Rosalie rather bluntly. I squeezed my eyes shut and turned towards the saleswoman and gave her a sympathetic look that said 'I'm sorry for my friend. I really think she's about to grow big green feet and a tail.'

"We have a selection of strapless gowns over here that would compliment your figure miss," said the saleswoman politely as she led us over to a selection of gowns. I'd never seen so much tulle in one sitting; I think it was getting to my head. Rosalie disappeared into the dressing room with a pile of dresses and I looked at the saleswoman who was still standing next to me and we both laughed.

"She's a little excited," I said after we'd both composed ourselves.

"I can see that. I actually admire the bitchy ones like her, they know what they want," she said. "I'm Lisa," she finished as she held out her hand to me.

I took her hand and shook it cheerfully. "Bella, bridesmaid to the Bridezilla and girlfriend of the Best Man."

She laughed quietly at my comment and replied, "I'd love to see the dress she's got for you," she said as she snickered at me.

"So would I, I haven't seen it yet. That's where we're headed next."

"Poor you," she said as she gave me a sympathetic look and we heard Rosalie grunting in frustration in the dressing room. She came out a minute later and spent a few more minutes looking at some of the other dresses in the store.

Then she found a dress that she was absolutely in love with, and even I had to admit, it was gorgeous. It was a strapless ivory silk satin-faced organza A-line gown and the bodice was embroidered with crystals. There was a platinum-colored ribbon and a bias cut asymmetrical ruffled chiffon skirt with a chapel train. The moment she saw herself in it, she knew it was the right dress. I breathed a sigh of relief as she quickly ran back into the dressing room to change out of the dress so she could pay for it.

I wondered briefly if I would ever have that feeling, I mean, for someone who didn't really get excited over clothes. For a moment I saw myself in the very dress Rosalie was wearing, with my hair cascading down my shoulders and back in long, flowing curls. Suddenly, Edward was standing behind me with his arm around my waist, reaching for my hand. I looked down and saw a wedding ring on his finger and our gazes met in the refection in the mirror as we both smiled.

"Do you think wearing crotchless panties under a wedding dress is classless?" interrupted Rosalie. I jumped slightly at her words and my eyes widened in surprise for about the hundredth time that day. "I mean, I wasn't raised in some backwoods trailer, but I think Emmett would appreciate it and it would be a nice little surprise for him," she said with a laugh as she put a down payment on the dress. I was still unsure of what to say to her, so I simply agreed on the crotchless panties idea and waited to leave.

"It was nice to meet you Bella!" shouted Lisa as Rose and I walked out of the store. I waved back to her and returned the sentiment. I was glad I'd had someone to talk to who wasn't bitching about colors or flowers or fabrics.

The last place we were headed to was the place where Rosalie had picked out the bridesmaid dresses. I just needed to get mine fitted and Rosalie wanted to look at some lingerie and then we were finished. Finally. I pulled out my phone, almost forgetting about Edward's earlier text and about my evil plan because I really just needed to vent.

_Don't bet on it, I would so have my way with you. I think I might suffocate in a pile of tulle. If you don't hear from me in two hours send out a search party. –B_

_Will do. I miss you –E. _My stomach did little flips thinking of him missing me.

_I miss you too. I have to go. Bridezilla is taking me to get my dress fitted. –B _

_Should I be there for approval? –E_ I laughed slightly at his question, knowing that neither of us would be happy if I gave the entire wedding party a peep show.

_I'll let you know. –B _

I was torn between being mortified and being relieved when I tried on the dress that Rosalie has selected for her bridesmaids. It was something I never would have picked out for myself, but the things I had cooking up in my mind had been so much worse. It was a full-length dark blue, strapless taffeta dress, with a pleated sweetheart neckline and a black tissue taffeta sash that fitted around my waist and tied into a bow, where the ribbon flowed down to my knee.

An hour later we each walked out of the store with lingerie purchases and only one of us had a smile on her face and it wasn't me. Although, I was smiling a little on the inside thinking of Edward's face when he saw what I had purchased. After being poked and prodded at for about forty-five minutes, Rosalie decided that I needed something to bring with me to New York to surprise Edward with. I didn't mind the idea, but the item she bought for me – against my will, mind you – didn't exactly have me jumping for joy.

It was a black stretch bra and garter set with a ruffle trim and back closure (thank god). It had a matching skirt and Rose even bought me black lace thigh high stockings. Then she insisted that I get shoes. No, not just shoes, heels, but not just any heels. These fuckers were _huge_. Stilettos. They were red, open-toed, with a clear 5 inch heel, only attaching to my foot with ribbon that wrapped up to my ankle. If I died, I was finding some way to get her convicted of my murder.

The moment we got back into Rosalie's car, my phone rang, it was Edward. _Thank god,_ I thought to myself. I hadn't heard his voice all day, we'd only been sending flirty text messages back and forth, so I was relieved to see his name on my caller ID.

"Hello?" I answered in one long groan.

"Hello, gorgeous. Had enough of Hurricane Rosalie?" he asked with a laugh.

"Edward, you have no idea. The flowers and the… arghhhh… and the tulle… so much tulle," was all I managed to say as he laughed at my frustration.

"I'm sorry baby, do you need me to rescue you?" he asked sarcastically.

"No, not unless I actually manage to drown in all the tulle… or I fling myself off the roof of a building," I said with a small chuckle.

"Well I'll just have to make sure Rosalie calls me before you do anything rash," he said, playing along with my joke. "Listen," he began, "Emmett wants us all to get together for dinner, wanna meet over at Charlie Brown's?"

My mood immediately brightened at the thought of seeing Edward for dinner, but then my shoulders immediately slumped back down as I remembered that Rosalie had insisted on taking me out to dinner. "Edward, you have no idea how much I would love to, but Rose wants to take me out to dinner. I think it's a good idea, you know, to get to know each other a little better."

"Yeah, I guess so. I'm seeing you tonight though, mark my words," he said seriously. I got distracted momentarily, thinking of all the unconventional ways he could make good on his promise.

"Sounds good to me. I guess I'll see you later then," I said as a grin formed on my lips. We said our goodbyes and Rosalie informed me that we were going to some sushi place. I looked down at my watch and saw that it was already 6:30, and hoped I would be with Edward in a few more hours. My girly parts had the same hopes.

**EPOV**

After Rosalie left my apartment with Bella, I knew that Bella was in for one hell of an afternoon. Rosalie was a perfectionist and I knew that. I also had gotten many calls from my brother over the last few weeks complaining about how Rosalie was being a 'Bridezilla' and those were his words, not mine. It was all kind of funny, but I felt bad now that Bella was being subjected to it.

I turned towards Jasper and immediately realized I had been so wrapped up in both work and Bella that he had sort of fallen by the wayside. "Man, it's been too long. When are you finally gonna move out here?" I asked. I knew Jasper had always wanted to live in Seattle, but needed to find a steady job in order to be able to afford an apartment here.

"Actually, man I got a job, that's part of the reason I'm here, to get an apartment," he said. Well that was certainly a surprise and a pretty damn good one too.

"That's awesome, dude! Who gotcha?"

"Ducati. Their salary kicks ass and plus I can reap the benefits when I get a bike," he said happily. Jazz had always loved working on bikes and I knew he loved his Ducati's. He even went to school to learn how to fix them up and crap like that, but he was a gifted motorcycle mechanic. I laughed silently to myself when I realized how ridiculous that sounded, but the job fit him perfectly.

"Sweet!" Emmett and I said at the same time. "Does your employee discount apply to friends?" asked Emmett with a grin as Jasper shook his head in the negative. Ah well, it was worth asking.

After we hung out in my apartment for a little while, we got a call from Rosalie reminding us that we had our tuxedo fittings in half an hour. Emmett groaned at the prospect, but he walked into the shop with Jasper and me with a smile on his face, because he'd do anything to marry Rose.

I wondered for a moment what it would be like to marry Bella. I knew – well, I hoped – that one day I would marry her. She was everything I could ask for and I wanted to always be with her. It didn't seem like that fact would ever change.

"So, how's life with Bella?" asked Jasper as he, Emmett and I were getting our tuxedos fitted.

"She's great, Jazz. I can't even tell you how great," I answered quickly. He immediately knew that there was something I wasn't telling him, but I didn't think he would say anything. However, my brother Emmett was in no way as discreet, or willing to let me be as my best friend.

"Dude, come on. Spit it out," Emmett egged me on. I decided I'd tell them how I felt about Bella. I mean, what could it hurt? It wasn't like I was going around flaunting it to every person in my life except her.

"Alright, alright. I'm in love with her, man. Ever since that day on the boat, the day of the accident."

"And you haven't told her, have you?" asked Jasper.

"No, I haven't. I'm afraid I'll freak her out or some shit. She went through hell with that asshole Jacob and I don't want her thinking that I don't mean it, you know?" I said as I turned to look at both of them, who were now looking at me sympathetically. "What about you and Alice? I mean, I know you two haven't seen each other in a while, but-"

"Actually, Edward, I went to see Alice a few weeks ago, after the engagement party. I needed to see her," Jasper said quietly. I'd known him for almost seven years now and I'd never seen him get quiet like that. I was willing to bet a shitload that he was just as in love with Alice as I was with Bella. "But I got there and her apartment was clean. _Clean._ In all the time I'd been dating her in Forks, nothing she ever owned had been clean, except that damned Porsche. She was organized chaos to the extreme but when I saw that apartment it was fucking spotless."

Emmett broke the silence after a moment. "Sooo what does that mean dude?" He and I looked at Jasper expectantly; neither of us knew Alice very well, so we needed him to elaborate.

"Something's not right. That's all I know and she wouldn't talk to me about it," was all Jasper said. I made a mental note to ask Bella if she'd noticed anything in her conversations with Alice. Just then my phone buzzed in the pocket of my jeans. I had to wait until the tailor was finished with my tux before I could answer; I knew it had to be Bella.

When I picked up the phone, I smiled as I saw her message.

_What are you doing? I wish I could have stayed and had my way with you. –B_

I gulped slightly and looked around to make sure no one saw my idiotic reaction to what I'd just read. I replied to her message with a smug grin.

_Getting my tux fitted. I assure you it would have been me having my way with you. – E_

It was a couple hours before I heard from her again, just as we were finally getting ready to leave the tailor's.

_Don't bet on it, I would so have my way with you. I think I might suffocate in a pile of tulle. If you don't hear from me in two hours send out a search party. –B_

_Will do. I miss you. –E _

_I miss you too. I have to go. Bridezilla is taking me to get my dress fitted. –B _

_Should I be there for approval? –E_

_I'll let you know. –B _

Once we left the store, we moved on to lighter topics of discussion. The girls weren't joining us for dinner and I was a little pissed that I wouldn't see Bella, but I promised her that I would be seeing her tonight and I planned to make good on that promise. We sat in a booth at a casual restaurant called Charlie Brown's, which always made me think of the Peanuts character, even though the two had no relation whatsoever.

"Where are you guys going on your honeymoon anyway?" I asked Emmett once we ordered our food and drinks.

"Fiji, I can't wait dude. It'll be too hot to wear any clothing," he said with a laugh as I rolled my eyes and shook my head at him. Then again, if it were Bella and I in Fiji, I'd probably be thinking the exact same thing. "How's the Best Man speech coming along?" he asked me.

"It's coming. I'll probably end up finishing it the night before the wedding, but relax," I said as his eyes widened a little. I always loved getting him like that. It was one of the only things I was able to do to freak him out since he always dished it out on me when we were kids. Damn being the younger brother. In reality, the speech was nearly finished.

"Just keep in mind, bro that it won't be me castrating you if you mess it up, it will be my new wife," Emmett said as Jazz and I laughed along with him.

After we finished our dinner I sent a text message Bella to find out where she was and to tell her we'd be back to my apartment soon. She informed me that she and Rose were back at her apartment and that I better get my ass over there before she went insane. I laughed as soon as I read it and pressed my foot onto the gas pedal of the Volvo a little harder.

Jasper, Emmett and I knocked on Bella's door and when she opened it, she almost leaped at me, but thought better of it. Good. I wanted to do the leaping and I didn't think what I had in mind was appropriate for company.

All five of us sat in Bella's living room for an hour talking about the wedding. The entire time, I kept looking at Bella with sympathetic looks, silently apologizing for subjecting her to my brother and friends. She would always smile back at me though and it amazed me how it didn't really seem to bother her.

Jasper and Bella had struck up a conversation about Alice, since they were the two that knew her best. "Have you noticed anything different about her lately?" Jasper asked Bella.

I turned to see the puzzled expression on her face. "She sounded distracted the last few times I've spoken to her, but not different. Why?"

"Well, when I went to see her, I-"

Bella cut him off. "You went to see her?" she shrieked. "Alice never told me that. I can't believe she didn't tell me," she said as her face fell. I tightened my grip around her shoulder and offered her some comforting words.

"Don't worry about it, Bella. I'm sure she just forgot. Bella nodded, and the subject of Alice wasn't brought up again, Jasper's question forgotten.

Once it was time for them all to leave, we told them we'd see them at the airport when we were all heading out to New York for the wedding. It was still three weeks away, but Bella had told me she'd never been to New York City before and I couldn't wait to show her the city. I'd only been there a couple of times myself, but that had to be better than someone who'd never seen it, right? I thought so.

Bella shut the door behind her and leaned against it. I stalked toward her and enveloped her lips in mine, pinning her against the door. "I'm sorry for them," I whispered in her ear before my lips found her neck.

"It's okay Edward, I like your friends, and your brother," she said between gasps as my tongue licked along her neck. "I even like Rose; she's just a little bit much sometimes." I laughed against her throat and brought my lips up to kiss her again. I picked her up, cradling her in my arms and carried her into her bedroom, quickly picking up where we'd left off on my couch earlier.

**Links to all the dresses in my profile. Click the pretty review button for a sneak peek of Chapter 17 ;)**


	18. The Fear You Won't Fall

**Okay, folks this is probably it for a while. I'm away on vacation starting tomorrow, and I will try and write as much as I can, but I don't think I will have internet access while I'm away, so I made sure I got this out to all of you before I left. So if you review, it may take a little longer to get your teaser :P Okay, now onto the good stuff.**

**Ah, New York, finally a city I can navigate. LOL. This is part one of the wedding weekend. Woo!**

**And of course thank you to my fuckawesome beta, coldplaywhore, who made sure they ate at the restaurant and started on our collab this week! Who's ready?? Make sure you all have me on author alert :)**

**Teasers for all who review!! And a special thanks to all of you who review every chapter.**

**I don't own Twilight, but I do own way too many DVD's.**

**EPOV**

SeaTac Airport was not the place I wanted to be at eight o'clock in the morning. Although, the fact that I had Bella wrapped around me, fast asleep in my arms was definitely making the experience worth it. We were waiting for our plane to New York to start boarding. Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper were all sitting with us. My parents were joining us the next afternoon, since my father couldn't get out of his shift at the hospital on a Friday.

"Rosie, I need food in my stomach," Emmett whined as I rolled my eyes at him; he was always thinking with his stomach.

"Stop complaining, you big oaf and go get something to eat," Rosalie said in a slightly agitated tone. I could see why my brother was complaining, he knew she really didn't want him to stuff his face before he got on a plane, but she was really just daring him to do it.

"Fine," he said stoically as he got up and walked away.

I stroked Bella's hair gently and kissed the top of her head. "Bella, sweetheart, you should get up. We're going to be boarding soon," I told her in a soft whisper. I really hated having to wake her up, but I knew that once Emmett came back, Rosalie's shrieking would probably have done it anyway.

"Too early," she mumbled sleepily against my shoulder. I chuckled lightly and rubbed her shoulder gently. "I think I forgot to put on underwear. Can you check?" she asked groggily as I let out a small chuckle at her odd question.

"Not here. Later," I whispered into her ear.

Her head shot up and she looked at me, wide-eyed. "Did I just ask you to check if I put on underwear?"

"I'm afraid so, Bella. Want me to get you some coffee?"

"Yes, but that means you have to get up," she said as she squeezed me tighter. My heart soared a little at the aspect of her not wanting me to leave her.

"Come on sleepyhead, get up and come with me then. It will help wake you up," I said with a laugh as I stood up, never letting go of Bella. She got up slowly and we walked over to the nearest Dunkin' Donuts stand. I ordered Bella a cup of coffee and a muffin to share. We walked slowly back to where we had left Rosalie and Jasper and the sight we found had us both laughing, Bella almost spitting out the coffee she had been drinking.

"Emmett Cullen! Why are you such a big idiot?" yelled Rosalie.

"Aw come on, Rosie. You know you love me," he said, his mouth stuffed with something.

"You're right, I do love you, you dope, but sometimes your stomach amazes me. If you puke on the plane I am going to kill you," she said in a slightly quieter tone as she rolled her eyes at my brother. Bella and I walked back to our group laughing along with Rosalie, Jasper and even Emmett.

When our plane finally boarded, it took us an extra half an hour to finally get up into the air and about six hours later we were landing at JFK. We grabbed our luggage and looked around until we saw a man in a black suit with a sign that read 'Cullen.' After Emmett, Jasper and I helped the driver get all our luggage in the car, we all got into the completely oversized limo and headed to The Plaza Hotel.

_Yes, The Plaza Hotel._

Carlisle and Esme had insisted on paying for all of the hotel rooms, which was a room for themselves, Bella and I, Jasper and Alice, who would be staying there with him for the weekend of the wedding, and of course Rosalie and Emmett. I thought that it was a waste of a ridiculous amount of money, but there was no way I would have been able to convince my parents to spend any less on their eldest son's wedding. Although why anyone needed a gold-plated sink was completely beyond me. Bella agreed and her eyes almost bugged out of her head when I told her we were staying at The Plaza. It was actually completely adorable.

During the forty-five minute drive to the hotel, we all talked casually about the wedding, and Rose and Emmett told us all about how beautiful the boathouse was, even though they were both probably a little biased. Jasper and Bella mostly talked about Alice and how they were both concerned about her. They had agreed that Bella would go over to her apartment first, to try and talk to her and she would make up an excuse about Jasper being dragged somewhere by Emmett or that he wanted to surprise her back at the hotel. Bella was determined to get Alice to tell her what was wrong, because it was obvious that something wasn't right since she had moved to New York a few months ago.

Once we got up to the 19th floor, we all headed up to our individual rooms. I handed Bella the keycard and as she was opening the door, I stood behind her and started sucking on her neck. "I've wanted to do this to you all day," I said against her neck. She laughed and fumbled with the keycard a bit before the door finally opened.

I chased her inside the room and she ended up tripping over a strap on one of the bags, me falling with her in an attempt to catch her. I managed to dodge her body and fall just painfully enough so that I didn't land on her. We both lay there and laughed until Bella stopped abruptly, finally taking in the sight of our hotel room.

It was incredibly gaudy, in my opinion and I think Bella agreed judging by the way she was looking around. "I'm afraid to walk on the carpet with my shoes on," she said as she got up, followed closely by me. The living area was complete with a couch and a very shiny coffee table and a fireplace. Now the fireplace might come in handy, but I had that at my apartment in Seattle, so it wouldn't be very different; although Bella and I had yet to make love by the fireplace. _Think with your big head, Cullen._

I laughed at her comment and agreed. We slowly walked to the bedroom door and when it opened we both grimaced. The king-sized bed – which in my opinion was the best benefit to the room – was decorated with an extremely tall headboard and silk sheets, with two small chairs at the end of the bed. The bathroom was probably the nicest part of the entire suite, having a marble bathtub with a separate shower.

I picked Bella up and ran her back into the bedroom, throwing her onto the bed. I climbed over to her and hovered over her slender body, my lips locking onto hers. Her arms wrapped around me and her legs fastened around my waist. I ground my hard on into her, eliciting a small moan from her mouth into mine.

"Edward, I need to go see Alice," she panted. I growled against her neck, because I really, really didn't want her to leave.

"Alice can wait," I said fiercely. However, by the look on her face, I didn't think I was getting away with that one, but it was worth a try.

"If it wasn't for the fact that she probably needs me right now, I would totally agree with you, but I have to go." I reluctantly rolled off of her, keeping one of my arms around her waist, in case she changed her mind. "I promise we can pick this up later."

"You better," I replied as I leaned over to kiss her lips sweetly. Before we got carried away again, she quickly got up off of the bed and fixed herself up before heading out the door to go find Alice. She had the address and was taking a taxi to her place, which still made me a little bit nervous. I knew she wouldn't get lost, but the fact that she had to ride in a cab in a strange city didn't exactly comfort me. Of course she insisted that she would be fine and that she would text me to let me know she'd arrived at Alice's apartment alive.

When she had left, I ventured over to Jasper's room, suspecting that this might be the only time I see him alone in it. I knocked out the door and was greeted by a frankly frazzled Jasper.

"You okay, Jazz?" I asked, somewhat jokingly. I knew he was worried about Alice, so I decided that I would take it easy on him.

"I'm just worried about her, Edward. I think I love her, which sounds crazy doesn't it? But it's true," he admitted to me as he paced nervously around the room.

"I'm sure she's fine and if she's not Bella will find out what's wrong. Maybe she just wants her new apartment clean or some shit." I shrugged my shoulders at this, not really sure what advice to give Jasper in this instance.

"And what about the fact that she didn't tell Bella I came to see her? Alice loves to gush about shit like that," he told me in a worried tone.

"I don't know, man, but I know Bella will help her," I told him honestly. If anyone could get Alice out of her funk, it was Bella. "Does she know how you feel?" I asked him, hoping to get his mind off what Bella might find out. Jasper ran his hands through his hair in a nervous gesture.

"I'm scared shitless to tell her. After this I don't know what she'll think of me if I end up just telling her out of nowhere," he said as I decided to bite the bullet and tell him about my own situation.

"Jazz, I'm scared shitless to tell Bella how I feel too, but I can see it's killing you, not telling Alice. Just do it. I have a feeling that she feels it back judging by the way you talk about her." I felt like a woman, but at the moment my only concern was talking my best friend off the cliff he seemed to be looming in front of.

"Seriously? Just tell her? Sounds like you should be taking your own advice, Dr. Phil," Jazz said with a laugh. I knew he was right, but I just couldn't bring myself to tell Bella how I felt yet. I laughed along with him and ended up talking him off his cliff and he decided that he would try to tell Alice how he felt.

I left Jasper's suite and headed back to the room Bella and I shared to plan something for us to do tonight. I wanted to show her some of the city and I knew that Central Park would be one of our stops. Our hotel room had a partial view of the park, but I wanted to show it to her firsthand. I also planned on taking her to dinner at the Tavern on the Green, via one of those carriage rides and I was prepared to take whatever whining she had to dish out, because the view of the garden at the restaurant was too beautiful for her to deny. Not that I would notice with her sitting across from me. I then decided that I wanted to take her ice skating at Rockefeller Plaza. I was finally glad that Rosalie had planned for us to be in New York a day before the wedding, otherwise I wouldn't have any time to enjoy the city with my girl.

I decided that while Bella was gone, I would peruse the city. I wanted to look for her Christmas gift while I was here and of course Tiffany's was my first stop. Naturally, it was my last stop as well and after being there for only a half an hour I walked out with my little blue bag. I'd found the perfect gift for her, a necklace, which said just how I felt about her. I knew that if I wasn't able to tell her how I felt about her just yet that the necklace would do the job.

It was just before six when Bella came back into our hotel room.

"So, how's Alice?"

**BPOV**

I walked out of Edward's and my hotel room, really wishing I didn't have to leave him, but in the same breath I really wanted to see Alice. I sent her a text message to let her know I was on my way.

_Hey, lady. On my way to come get you, Jasper-less, sorry Al, he wants to surprise you at the hotel. –B _

_I'll take him anyway I can get him. See you soon. –A_

After the fifteen minute drive from The Plaza to Greenwich Village, I got out of the cab and buzzed Alice's room number in the front of her building. I heard her voice come through the tiny speaker as she cheerfully told me that she was happy I had arrived and buzzed me in. When I knocked at her apartment door, I was nervous as to what I would find when she opened it.

My fear was reinforced when she actually did answer the door and she looked… empty. There were slight bags under her eyes and she just appeared so tired. She looked similar to Jasper and dare I say, similar to the reflection I remember seeing in the mirror after I'd broken up with Jacob. "Bella!" she squealed happily, however, the sentiment didn't touch her eyes. She was trying to hide whatever was wrong from me and it wasn't working at all.

"Alice," I said to her as I walked in, shaking my head and trying to think about how I would broach the topic and get her to tell me what was wrong. "Why didn't you tell me that Jasper came here to see you?"

Her half-hearted happy expression fell and I could see that she knew she was no longer fooling me. She still didn't stop trying though. "I didn't? I must have forgotten. Now you know," she said as she shrugged her shoulders. She sat down with me on the couch and I decided to press the issue further, seeing Alice like this was getting to me. I didn't like it. I hated it, actually.

"So… how was it? I bet you two knocked boots as soon as he stepped through the door," I said with a laugh that echoed through the silence that followed it. I looked at her expectantly as she remained quiet. "Al?"

"Yeah, I guess. He wasn't here for very long, but I guess I was happy that I got to see him," she said in a monotone voice. That was the last straw. I looked around at my surroundings and tried to analyze the situation.

I sat with her in her apartment. Her _clean_ apartment. Alice never cleaned a single thing in her life, but this place was clutter free and I couldn't believe my eyes. "Ali, what's wrong? Tell Me," I asked, begging for her to open up to me. She looked nothing like the Alice I knew, she looked like a shell of my wonderful, chipper best friend. I put my hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at me. The tears finally spilled from her eyes, rolling onto her cheeks as a sob escaped her lips.

"Oh, Bella, I can't. I'm supposed to be stronger than this," she cried as I pulled her head into the crook of my neck. I wrapped my arms around her, trying to offer her some comfort as her sobs died down. I was slightly happy that I'd gotten her to crack, but my heart was breaking at the sound of her cries.

"Shhh, its okay, Alice. Just tell me what's wrong," I encouraged her.

"I don't know what's wrong with me. This isn't me," she said as the tears on her cheeks began to dry. "I'm not supposed to leave home and fall apart like this. I was supposed to come to New York and get my degree in fashion and never look back. Except for you of course," she finished as I waited for her to continue, because I was a little confused.

"So, you just miss Forks, then?" I asked, to alleviate the silence that had grown between us.

She nodded. "And you, and… and Jasper. _God_ I miss Jasper. I didn't know I could miss anyone so much. I can't go any longer without seeing him. I need him, Bell, and I don't know why," confessed Alice as she continued to look sad as hell.

I hugged her tight and let out a small chuckle, because there was a very easy solution to this problem. "Then come home," I said to her simply.

She sat up, getting her head off my shoulder and looked at me questioningly. "What?" she said.

"Come home. You don't _need_ to be in New York to learn about fashion and you certainly don't _need_ to be here to be successful at it, either. I can see you're miserable, both Jasper and I can see that, Al. Come home, we all miss the shit out of you too," I said as tears started running down my own cheeks, at both the fear of her reaction and the joy that surfaced at the thought of getting her back.

"Oh my god, you're right! What the hell am I doing?" she said with a laugh as we both suddenly started laughing uncontrollably.

"As for Jasper, I can't believe I'm saying this… but maybe… maybe you love him, Alice. That would explain things, wouldn't it?" I asked her seriously once we'd stopped laughing.

"I think I do love him, Bella. I didn't think it could happen, but I'm in love with him. What about you and Edward? I take it you haven't said the L word yet, huh?" she asked, hopeful that we were in the same place in our romantic relationships.

I looked down at my lap for a moment. There was that word again- love. I didn't know what it meant anymore, I used to think I knew, but the more time I spent with Edward, the clearer its real meaning became to me. "No, we haven't had that discussion, and I don't think we will, not for a while yet. But Al, I think I'm getting there with him and it scares me." Well the tables just turned and did a 360, didn't they?

"You should take your own advice and think about telling him how you feel. Edward's different, Bella. I can feel it. I can see it, he's good for you," she said as she rubbed my shoulder and I nodded. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew she was right, but I couldn't do it, not yet.

After we talked for a while longer, enjoying the easy camaraderie between us, we grabbed her luggage and hailed another cab. Alice was much better at it than I was, but she had several months in New York City perfecting it. We'd discussed her moving back to Washington and I told her that she was welcome to stay with me as long as she wanted. She said that she would get in touch with the real estate agent who got her the apartment in New York and see what she could do to sublet her current apartment. I offered to get her the contact information for the agent who helped me find my place back in Seattle, but otherwise she was accepting my offer.

When we finally got back to The Plaza, I walked Alice up to our floor and she immediately dashed over to her and Jasper's suite. I didn't think I would be seeing her for the rest of the night. When I walked back into Edward's and my suite, he was waiting for me.

"So, how's Alice?" he asked me, looking truly concerned, which in turn made me smile.

"She's fine, actually. She just… missed everyone and everything about home. We talked about it and she's coming home once her semester is over. She's not sure if she will find an apartment or stay with me, but she's coming home," I said as I smiled and he walked over to me and gave me a hug.

"That's amazing, Bella. I knew you could help her through whatever she was going through," he told me. I smiled as I rested my chin on his shoulder. "By the way, I planned a date for us tonight."

"What?" I asked as I pulled back from his embrace and looked at him in surprise. "I hope you didn't spend a ridiculous amount of money like your parents did on this outrageous hotel room," I chastised him.

He simply rolled his eyes at me. "Don't worry about it, Bella. Just get your sexy ass ready before eight," he said as I quickly obeyed and headed into the bathroom.

I took a shower then blew out my hair and came back out into the bedroom where Edward had gotten dressed into a plain black suit, with a white dress shirt underneath and a solid black tie. "You look handsome," I told him as I suddenly I realized that I didn't bring anything appropriate to wear for what he was planning. I turned around to head back into the bathroom. _Wait, what_ was_ he planning?_

"Wait, Edward, what am I supposed to wea-" I asked as I spun around to face him and I saw that he was holding out a garment bag.

"I think I thought of everything," he said with a laugh. "There are shoes next to the bathroom door." I took the bag from him and went to the bathroom, picking up the shoebox on my way.

I stepped back into the bathroom and opened the garment bag nervously. What I saw in there was actually a pleasant surprise. It was a brownish-purple, sleeveless, tea-length chiffon dress, with a neckline that went all the way up to my neck and satin straps that ran down the open back, with crystal buttons that met the satin waistline.

I took a moment to think before I put the dress on and remembered the lingerie that Rosalie had bought for me a few weeks ago when she was in Seattle. Without giving it a second thought, I sorted through my bag and pulled out the items. I put the set on, leaving the stockings and garter belt for later when we got back to the room. I slipped the dress on gently over my head and the carefully slipped on the plain black pumps that Edward had picked out. I grabbed the shawl that was hanging on the last coat hanger and draped it over my shoulders before I went to join Edward.

We left the room and headed down to the lobby, where Edward led us over to a horse drawn carriage. I stopped dead in my tracks. "Oh, no Edward. You didn't."

He smiled. "Yes, I did. Now suck it up and get in," he said as he gestured for me to get in by stretching his hands out in front of him. We rode through the now dark city, which was absolutely beautiful at night, our hands entwined tightly together.

We pulled up to what I recognized as Rockefeller Plaza and he led me out of the carriage and down towards the ice skating rink. It was official, he was trying to kill me, but I was going to enjoy every moment of it, because how many times does one go to New York City, really?

I decided to joke with him a bit. "First you put me in heels, now you want to put me on ice skates?" I said with a laugh as we picked up our rental skates and put them on. It was unseasonably warm out, so I left my shawl in the carriage and still felt comfortable as I stood from the bench where I had laced up my skates.

"Stop teasing me, Bella. Now come on and skate with me," he said as he reached for my hand and we stepped onto the ice.

I faltered once, but Edward never let go of my hand. Not once the entire time, and we were both smiling, just reveling in being with each other. We skated until our noses were red and our voices were hoarse, but neither of us complained after we were finished. The carriage was still outside waiting for us and we hopped back in, with me a little eager to know where we were off to next.

After a twenty minute ride, we pulled up to a restaurant called Tavern on the Green, and they sat us inside at a lovely table in the Terrace room. There were small vases of flowers scattered on every table, some of which were filled with couples who looked just as happy as Edward and me. "Edward, this is too much," I said as I saw him begin to rebuff my protest, but I held up my hand to stop him. "But, it's beautiful. Thank you," I said as I leaned over to kiss him.

We spent the next little while enjoying the mouthwatering food the restaurant offered. Edward had called ahead and ordered our meals before we left the hotel room, so it didn't take long for them to bring out Edward's grilled rack of lamb or my roast chicken breast with asparagus. The conversation flowed easily through the entire meal as we discussed our day, the wedding and how life would change when Alice moved back to Seattle once the semester was over. Once dinner was finished and Edward had settled the bill, he suggested we go for a walk and I jumped at the chance since it was fairly warm out still, even though it was getting late.

After about a ten minute walk, we were in Central Park at the Bethesda Fountain, which I recognized from so many movies, but it was so much more impressive in person. "Edward, this whole night was… incredible," I told him honestly as I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. Everything faded in that moment, the water crashing in the fountain, the wind blowing against our bodies; nothing else existed except Edward and me.

"I'm glad you liked it. I wanted to be the one to show you the city," he told me. He turned me around so we were facing the lake and I saw a small building on the other side. Edward was standing behind me and he reached out his hand over my shoulder and pointed to the building, which didn't really look like anything exciting from where I was standing. "That's the boathouse."

I turned to face him. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yes, I know it doesn't look like much from here, but I've heard it's beautiful. I've never seen it firsthand, though. It will be something we'll see for the first time together tomorrow."

"That sounds nice," I said as I turned back around so that my head was against his chest again and he wrapped his arms around my body. I started to shiver slightly and he tightened my shawl around me before Edward eventually suggested that we go back to our hotel. I agreed easily, knowing what he would be in for once the door to our room was closed behind us and we were alone.

It was a short walk back to the hotel which was on the south side of Central Park and as soon as we got into our room, my lips were on his as my hands were rubbing his hardness through his dress pants. I smiled against his lips knowing that he wanted this just as much as I did. I pulled back and whispered in his ear, "I'll be right back," and I slowly walked into the bathroom where I had left the stockings, skirt and heels that would complete the outfit that was hidden under my dress.

As soon as everything was in place and I felt relatively comfortable, I stepped out of the bathroom. Of course, being me, I tripped over the first available object and the fact that I was in 5inch heels definitely didn't help.

I landed flat on my back and Edward turned around. "Bella?" he said as he ran over to me. He hadn't gotten the chance to see me and once he did, he didn't falter in his attempt to help me. He helped me up, and as soon as I was upright and he could see that there was nothing visibly wrong with me, he took in what I was wearing. "Fuck, Bella, where did you get that?"

I smiled, a little less nervous now. "Rosalie made me get it when I was out with her in Seattle a few weeks ago, she was getting something for herself and she insisted I get something for the trip," I said as I shrugged my shoulders. He slid his arms around my waist and kissed me passionately, moaning into my mouth. I could feel his erection pressing in just the right spot, now that I was wearing heels and I quickly began to undo his tie. I lifted it over his head and unbuttoned his shirt as fast as I could, backing him up until he landed on his back on the bed. I then straddled his body and ground my hips into his, eliciting a moan from both of us.

I leaned down to kiss his neck and his hands moved to cup my ass as he pushed me down on his hard on over and over again, causing me to suck on his neck more furiously. He rolled us over so that I was on my back as he kneeled in between my legs and his hands moved to the hem of the skirt. "As pretty as this outfit is, it's in the way of what I want," he said as he unfastened my shoes and peeled the skirt, garter belt and stockings from my body in one swift movement, leaving me in just the bra and panties. He hovered over my body once again, between my spread legs.

I reached between us and unbuckled his belt, sliding his pants and boxers from his body. He took over once I couldn't reach anymore and released his cock from its confines. He tugged my panties from my body and reached behind me to unclasp my bra. I lifted my back slightly so he could remove it and he quickly reached his hands up to my breasts, massaging them gently as I groaned in appreciation.

"Top drawer," I said breathlessly as I tried to point to the nightstand where I had stashed a few condoms before we left the hotel room earlier. Thankfully, Edward understood what I meant and reached over me to pull the drawer open. He quickly pulled out a condom and ripped the package open as he sheathed his cock as quickly as he could, neither of us overly concerned with hours of foreplay at this point.

In one swift movement, Edward was inside of me, causing both of us to moan in pleasure. He began moving inside me after a moment, faster and faster with each thrust and my hips began to buck upwards to meet his.

"Edward, you feel so good," I moaned. I wrapped my legs around him, pulling him deeper inside me as his thrusts got impossibly harder and faster.

"Bella…" he said my name in one long groan.

I don't know how long we stayed like that, just moving against each other, but after a while, I reached in between us and started rubbing my clit gently to get myself closer to the edge and I could see that Edward was already close.

He looked down at what my hands were doing and grinned. "Oh, fuck baby… so sexy," he said as he enveloped my lips around his in a long kiss. We came together a moment later, riding out our orgasms together.

Edward rolled off me once our breathing had slowed. "That was amazing, Bella. Remind me to thank Rose," he said with a laugh.

"I think I'll actually do the same," I said as I joined him in laughter. He wrapped me up in his arms as I yawned against his chest, exhausted from the events of the day. He reached over and turned off the lights and began rubbing circles into my back as my breathing began to even out.

"I love you, Bella," he whispered just before I drifted into unconsciousness.

When I finally woke, I found Edward still sleeping peacefully beside me. I smiled to myself as I shook my head for a moment, remembering the words he had said to me… or was it a dream?

_I know you're scared that I'll soon be over it  
That's part of it all  
Part of the beauty of falling in love with you  
Is the fear you won't fall_

__

It hasn't felt like this before  
It hasn't felt like home  
Before you

_And I know it's easy to say  
But it's harder to feel  
This way_

**A/N: Coldplaywhore rocks my world. She is the best fucking beta ever, she even wrote this author note. Now shoo and read all of her stories, which are fuckawesome.**

**Now if you click that review button, you'll get a sneak peek at Chapter 18!**


	19. Growing Old With You

**I'm back! I hope you all enjoy this because I worked all day yesterday trying to get it out to all of you as soon as possible.**

**Usual thanks to my awesome beta coldplaywhore who did a fanfuckingtastic job on this chapter.**

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**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and of course to all of my regular reviewers, you guys know who you are :)**

**I don't own Twilight, but I do own a new iHome to take back up to school with me on Saturday.**

**BPOV**

I looked over at the clock that was across from the bed. It was only nine in the morning and I groaned internally because I knew that in about a half hour Rosalie would be knocking on the door so we could start getting ready for the wedding. I looked over at Edward in envy, because he was still fast asleep.

I lay in bed restlessly as I considered what I thought I'd heard him say to me last night. Did I really hear him say that he loved me? Panic began to flow through my body in waves. Did I even want Edward to say that to me? Ever since Jacob, I'd been scared to hear any man say that to me, because I would never be sure if I could trust his word. But Edward? I felt like he'd done so much for me in the four months that we'd been together; it didn't seem possible for him to be untrustworthy.

I looked over at him again and smiled, deciding to forget what I thought I heard, because if he really wanted me to know, he would surely tell me. Until then, I wasn't going to open my big yap, because that never usually worked well for me. Especially considering that I wasn't even sure of what I heard in the first place.

I slid out of bed slowly, trying to be careful and not wake Edward up. I tip toed to the bathroom and changed, deciding rather than have Bridezilla storm into the room with Edward sleeping that I would just send her a text message to let her know I would meet her in the lobby. Once that was done, I grabbed the hotel stationary and a pen, leaving Edward a note telling him that I'd gone to get ready for the wedding, against my will.

When I got down to the lobby and found Rosalie waiting for me, practically jumping out of her skin in anticipation. "Hey Rose," I said as she turned to see me walking towards her.

"Hey. Um, what are you wearing?" she asked as she moved her hands up and down, gesturing my black yoga pants, grey hoodie and white converse. I wasn't about to get all dressed up in the middle of November, only to be dressed up again.

"Uh…" was all I could think to say.

"It's fine, Bella. Sorry. I'm just so nervous," she said as she grabbed my arm and we walked outside and started walking over to the salon where we were having our hair and make up done. We were meeting Kate, her maid of honor and her other bridesmaid, Heidi, there. I'd met them both at the engagement party briefly, but they ended up leaving once the rain had unexpectedly ended the soirée.

"Why are we walking anyway?" I asked Rosalie, trying to keep up with her.

"It's only ten blocks away, Bella," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "New York is different than Seattle. I love walking around the city. Well, I used to love the walking for the eye candy," she said with a laugh as she nodded her head subtly to the blonde surfer-looking guy who was buying a pretzel at the stand we were approaching. He wasn't my type at all, but who was I to judge.

"Hey, just because you're getting married doesn't mean you can't enjoy the view," I said as I joined her in laughter. I had to admit, even though Rose was a bit crazy with all of her wedding crap, I did enjoy spending time with her. She reminded me of a bitchier version of Alice, which actually made me admire her. She would probably get along well with Alice, actually.

When we finally walked into the salon, Heidi and Kate were already waiting for us on one of the couches. "Rosie," squealed Kate as she lifted her head from the magazine she'd been reading. Rose had told me that they'd been best friends ever since high school when they almost had a cat fight over some guy that they were both interested in. Apparently, the guy hadn't been interested in either of them, and ended up being a complete jackass, causing the friendship that I was now witnessing.

"Kate, Heidi! I'm so excited and nervous, I can't even tell you!" Rose said as they finally hugged, with Heidi following quickly behind and Rose attacking her shortly after.

"So, Katie, how's Garrett?" asked Rose once she released Heidi from her grasp.

"He's fantastic. He was actually hoping to get Emmett drunk enough to take some black mailing pictures," said Kate as they both started laughing hysterically and I immediately felt out of the loop.

"Oh, shit. Kate, Heidi, you remember Bella, Edward's girlfriend. I asked her to be one of my bridesmaids," said Rosalie as she gestured between all three of us.

"Excuse me dears, are you the Hale wedding party?" asked a middle-aged woman who looked like she was wearing way too much lipstick. Rosalie confirmed that we were the wedding party and the woman ushered all of us over to tables where there were tiny middle aged women waiting to give all four of us manicures.

"So you're the lucky bitch that snagged Rose's future brother-in-law," said Heidi as she leaned over to me while the small Korean woman was painting my nails. I was immediately worried that there might be history within this circle of friends that Edward had failed to mention to me.

"Um… I guess so. We've only been dating about four months," I said as I shrugged my shoulders, trying to make my feelings sound nonchalant.

"Then you obviously have no idea what you've got going with that one," said Heidi, as if she were trying to add fuel to a fire that was merely sparks. I looked at her questioningly and she cleared up her statement. "I mean, before Tanya, none of us ever heard him call someone his girlfriend and damn if I wasn't hoping…" she was cut off by a smack in the shoulder, courtesy of Rose, which surprised the hell out of me considering she was in the midst of getting a manicure.

I didn't recall Edward ever mentioning Tanya to me before, so my curiosity was immediately piqued. "Who's Tanya?" I asked, immediately regretting my question because I had a feeling that I would want the answer from Edward himself and not the fire-fueling floozy.

"She was Edward's girlfriend for about two years, until they split before he moved back to Forks," said Rose, before Heidi could tell me.

"Two years? He never even mentioned her to me," I said, a bit stunned. I mean, I'd opened up to him about Jacob and he never even told me about this serious relationship? I made a mental note to bring her up later in conversation with him.

In order to break the tension surrounding the revelation about Tanya, I decided to put all of my focus on the task at hand; my nails. I was tempted to choose Electric Blue for my nails, which is what I normally would have chosen, but unfortunately for me Rosalie had already picked out French nails for us. Seeing as I was not a fan, I knew that stuff was coming off as soon as the wedding was over.

Once we all had our nails painted, with Rosalie constantly reminding us not to smudge them, it was time for the hair. _Gee, my favorite part_, I thought dryly to myself.

We walked over to the other side of the salon, Rosalie, Heidi and Kate walking a little bit funny because they'd gotten pedicures also. I refused mine, mostly because I didn't really like strange people touching my feet, and I really didn't want to wear flip-flops in the middle of November. Thankfully Rose let it slide since we were all wearing closed pumps anyway.

My hairdresser was Armando, who reminded me a little bit of Fabio, minus the gigantic muscles and replacing the long locks of blonde hair with short, brown hair perfectly styled at the top of his head. Okay, so he just looked a little bit like Fabio, without the crooked nose from when he got hit in the face on a rollercoaster by a goose or seagull or whatever the hell it was. He was actually sweet, talking to me in his Italian accent and asking about my life in Seattle and how long we'd all known Rosalie, constantly making all of us laugh. He got a kick out of the fact that my name was actually Bella, which he incidentally called every other woman in the salon. So he'd taken to calling me Rosa Bella, which he told me means 'pink beauty,' because of my oh so flattering tendency to blush.

Once we were all seated, our hair washed and dried, I felt my phone vibrate and I saw a text message from Edward.

_Do I need to negotiate a ransom with your kidnappers? –E. _I laughed cheerfully and replied to his message as Armando continued working on my hair, filling it with bobby pins.

_I don't think they're willing to negotiate –B._

It was only a minute later that I saw his reply.

_Do I need to steal you so I can have my way with you? –E_

My head jerked forward as I read his reply, causing a series of unfortunate events. Armando pulled my hair back once my head came forward. I dropped my cell phone and it flew onto the floor and skidded across the room.

"Rosa Bella! I said sit still, Armando cannot work with a pretty girl who can not keep her head still!" Armando said in a frustrated tone as he released the tight hold he had on my hair and went back to styling it. I giggled as Armando kept referring to himself in the third person as he worked his magic on my hair. I didn't move another muscle for the rest of my time in the chair and never getting the chance to reply to Edward's message.

A little over an hour later, we were all finished and I had an entire can of hairspray in my hair. When Armando showed me what he'd done to my hair in the mirror, I was stunned. My bangs flowed loosely on the side of my face, with some loose curls on the other side to balance out the look, while the rest of my hair was pulled back into long, loose curls that flowed in all different lengths down my neck with some reaching my back. To complete the look, beads of crystals were placed intricately around my head, making the style look more elegant than I thought possible.

"You like Rosa Bella?" Armando asked. I simply smiled, nodded my head and blushed, amazed at myself for actually liking it. "Armando did good."

By the time we left the salon, it was one in the afternoon and I had no idea what we could possibly have to do for the rest of the day. "Come on ladies, back to the hotel!" shouted Rosalie happily. I had no idea what would be waiting for us back at the hotel, but the chance of seeing Edward once more before the ceremony had me feeling hopeful. Unfortunately, Rose's next comment shattered that hope. "The boys are all being occupied so we won't have to worry about them spying on us." Alice was probably getting ready for the wedding all alone in her room.

Once we reached the 19th floor, instead of going to Rosalie's room like I had anticipated, we stopped in front of Alice and Jasper's room.

"Um, Rose…" I said, confused. Rosalie ignored my question and knocked on the door, with a significantly healthier and chipper looking Alice answering it a moment later.

"Rose! You guys made it!" she squeaked.

"Hey, Al," said Rose as she hugged Alice gently and I was officially confused. Alice ushered us all inside before I questioned the two of them.

"What did I miss?" I asked as the two of them looked at each other and laughed. How the hell did they know each other? The last time I can remember all three of us being together was the day of the accident on the boat.

"Well, after you and I went to Seattle that day a few weeks ago, I still desperately needed help and I had no time to go to Seattle again, when Edward happened to mention that your best friend Alice was in New York studying fashion and design and might be of some help," Rose said, shrugging her shoulders. "So he must have swiped your phone or some shit and he gave me Al's number and I called her. We got along swimmingly," she finished as she and Alice looked at each other and laughed again.

"Well, apparently not everything in New York sucked for you, Al," I said, a little angry that neither of them had mentioned their burgeoning friendship to me. I crossed my arms over my chest and looked at Alice expectantly, waiting for her to explain.

"It must have slipped our minds," Alice sputtered in between giggles and I found that I couldn't help but laugh with her. At this point, I was too happy that she was moving back to Seattle, and that she and Rose seemed to be getting along with no work from me. "Don't worry, Bella. I'm sure that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Alice finished as Kate interrupted the moment Rose, Alice and I were having.

"What in all of heaven do I smell?" Kate asked as she turned to look at Alice.

"Rose and I decided to have a girls lunch in before heading over to the boathouse."

We all walked over to the living area of Alice and Jasper's room and found an assortment of soups and hot sandwiches. We ate and talked for the next two hours and listened to Rose babble endlessly about how nervous she was about marrying Emmett, when she knew that there was nothing to be nervous about, because apparently if Emmett knew what was good for him he wouldn't back out on her. Mostly Alice and I just nodded and agreed when we thought it was appropriate as Rose caught up with her two close friends. We didn't mind, it was nice to see them catching up, while the two of us caught up a bit.

By the time three thirty rolled around, it was time to head over to the boathouse and get ready for the wedding. All of our dresses had been brought to Alice's room while we were at the salon, so we each grabbed our garment bags and headed outside to hail a cab.

**EPOV**

I woke up the next morning and slid my hands across the bed, searching for Bella, but coming up with nothing. I opened my eyes and saw that she wasn't there. A little more searching led me to a note on her pillow.

_Been kidnapped by Rosalie. Going to the salon, see you at the wedding. –Bella_

I laughed and thought of last night when I waited for Bella to fall asleep before I whispered that I loved her. It felt good to vocalize it to her, even if she couldn't hear me and I couldn't wait for the right time to tell her, when she was actually conscious.

I looked over at the clock and saw that it was already just after ten, so I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower and got ready to meet Jasper and Emmett. Apparently, Rosalie had left us a list of instructions to follow and we were to be at the boathouse at three and not a moment later.

I sent Bella a text message, referring to the note she left me this morning, before I left to meet Emmett and Jasper.

_Do I need to negotiate a ransom with your kidnappers? –E. _

A few minutes later, my phone vibrated with her response.

_I don't think they're willing to negotiate –B._ I laughed, imagining her face the entire time she had people poking and prodding at her, which I knew she hated. I sent her a text message back, eagerly waiting her response, and wishing I could see her reaction.

_Do I need to steal you so I can have my way with you? –E_. No such luck. She never responded. I assumed it was because Rosalie either confiscated Bella's phone, which I wouldn't put past her or Bella got too distracted by all the preparations.

I met up with Em and Jazz, knocking on the door of Jasper's hotel room and praying I wasn't catching him and Alice… catching up. Instead I was greeted by Alice, who grabbed my shirt and pulled me into the room, without saying a word. She pulled me all the way into the living area, and sat me down on the couch next to Jasper and Emmett.

"I've been instructed to keep you boys busy," she said as she stood in front of us. I wasn't extremely close to Alice, since she had moved to New York a couple of months ago, but I knew enough about her from my own experience and from what Bella had told me, to be humored by this.

"Busy how?" I asked with a laugh.

"Does it involve food, because I'm fucking hungry," Emmett asked. Alice looked at him and rolled her eyes.

"Yes, there will be food, so slow your roll, Emmett," she said. I was surprised that she was acting as if she'd known Emmett for much longer than she had, considering the last time they'd met was the day of the boat accident. Those circumstances weren't exactly best for getting to know someone, but I was glad that Bella's and my circle of friends seemed to be coming together quite nicely, which I knew to be a fact since I had set Rose and Alice up last month.

After Alice fed us some pizzas, which I felt gleefully evil for eating in a room at The Plaza, she reminded us of the next thing that was on the list from hell that Rose had made for us. "Carlisle and Esme should be arriving from JFK any minute, so why don't you guys wait for them in the lobby and help them with their luggage," she announced proudly. I held back a laugh that she was taking such charge when she hardly knew any of us.

Sure enough, we met my parents in the lobby a few minutes later and Emmett and Jasper helped me get their luggage up to their room. Well… we helped watch the bellboy bring their luggage up to their room, because apparently guests are not allowed to lay a finger on their luggage at The Plaza.

"So, Edward, how is Bella?" asked my mother once they had gotten settled into their room and my father and Emmett left the room.

"She's good, mom. She's with Rosalie, Heidi and Kate right now," I explained to her casually.

"Does she know?" she asked me after a moment of silence.

"Know what?" I asked, confused as my mother looked at me in complete shock.

"Does she know that you love her, sweetie?" How did I not see that one coming? It had been coming from everyone lately, even Jasper.

"No, I haven't told her yet. I don't think it's the right time."

"I understand, Edward. But just so you know, she loves you too, whether or not she knows it herself. I can see it when she looks at you," my mother said just as Emmett and my father walked back in the room.

"Edward, how are things going at the hospital? As good as the last time we spoke I trust?" asked my father hopefully.

"Yeah, pretty good actually. The hours are obviously still hectic, but I love it there," I told him honestly. Juggling my life between Bella and the hospital was making this one of the happiest points in my life, now that I actually thought about it.

"Glad to hear it, son, glad to hear it," my father said as he patted my shoulder supportively.

About an hour later, we headed over to the boathouse, where I was hoping to catch at least a glimpse of Bella before the ceremony. Once we were there, we spent the first half hour putting on our tuxedos and getting our boutonnieres to fit perfectly. The woman who was fitting mine let her hands linger on my chest a little too long for my personal comfort, which was confirmed when I found a card with her number on it in my pants pocket, which she had no doubt put there before she'd given me the tux. I tore it in half and threw it in the nearest trashcan.

Once I was finished, I snuck out of the dressing room and went looking for Bella. I found her a few minutes later, wandering the hallway.

"Looking for something?" I asked when I saw her, her back turned to me. When she turned around, the sight that I saw made me go slack-jawed. Bella stood in front of me in a dark blue strapless dress, with her hair pulled back in long soft looking curls. Fuck, I wanted to bury my nose in those curls.

"Yeah, actually," she began once she saw me. She started sauntering over to me seductively. "You haven't seen a tall handsome, copper-headed man around here anywhere, have you?"

I decided to play along. "You know, I haven't, but I'd be happy to help you with whatever you need before he finds you," I said as I was finally close enough to her to touch her soft creamy skin. I gently touched her arms, running my fingertips down them slowly.

"I think I'd like that," she said with a gentle smile.

I grabbed her hand and we ran swiftly to a spot in the hallway where it was more secluded. "I hate this dress," she said as she moved her hands over her shoulders, gesturing that she didn't like that they were so exposed in the dark blue gown.

"Bella, you look stunning," I said with a sense of finality as I moved my hand to cup her cheek and kissed her just below her ear, in fear of getting yelled at for ruining her makeup or something.

"Really?" she asked as she looked up at me innocently, which was one of the sexiest things I'd ever seen her do.

"Absolutely," I said honestly as she stood on her toes and kissed me. It was obvious she didn't care about her makeup, which suited me just fine as our kiss became more passionate.

Just then, someone clearing their throat popped the bubble Bella and I had been in for the past five minutes. I opened my eyes and saw Alice behind Bella, tapping her feet. "Edward, stop mauling her face. Now she needs to get her lipstick fixed," she said as Bella turned around and she and I started laughing.

"For the record, Alice, she kissed me first," I said as Bella narrowed her eyes at me for tattling on her. Alice rolled her eyes at the both of us and grabbed Bella's wrist and began dragging her away from me. Bella looked back and shrugged her shoulders indifferently. I looked down at my watch and saw that it was 4:30 and only a half hour until I saw her again.

Fifteen minutes later, Emmett and all the groomsmen were informed that we had to head out to the Lake Room where the ceremony and the reception would be taking place, with the staff converting the room during the cocktail hour. We walked out to the room, which was lit beautifully by the sunset. We stood in a line on the right side of the bridal arch, which was decorated completely with blue and white flowers.

Not long after we'd taken our places, me standing to my brother's left, the wedding march began playing, with the five year-old daughter of one of Rosalie's cousins walking down the aisle, throwing flowers gingerly as she went. I watched the back entrance intently, waiting for Bella to emerge. I felt like it was my damned wedding day. Heidi appeared first, followed by Bella a moment later. She looked even more beautiful than she had thirty minutes ago, if that was even possible. I'd never seen her walk so gracefully, clutching her bouquet gently followed by Kate. Bella and I looked at each other intently the entire time she was walking down the aisle, she was smiling at me and I thought I was smiling at her as well, but honestly for all I knew I could have been staring at her open mouthed in awe.

Once she was standing in her place with the other bridesmaids, the wedding guests all stood and looked back towards the entrance where Rosalie was entering the room, but I never stopped looking at Bella. Rosalie could have tripped over a chair and one of the candles could have caught her hair and dress on fire and I wouldn't have noticed.

The rest of the ceremony went by smoothly and after Emmett and Rosalie were officially declared man and wife, everyone exited the room. The bridal party all headed outside to take pictures while the rest of the guests enjoyed the cocktail hour in what is normally the main dining room of the boathouse. We posed in awkward and uncomfortable positions, with the photographer shooting so many pictures I thought I would go blind from the flashes. All I could think about was having Bella in my arms again. The pictures were the most torturous part because I could look at her, but I couldn't touch.

The moment the picture session was over I walked over behind Bella and wrapped my arms around her waist. "Come on, I have you, now I need a drink," I whispered into her ear as I felt her laugh. I let go of her and took her hand, leading her to the bar.

The reception started and before I knew it, it was time to give my speech. I'd decided that rather than making it a long sentimental speech, that I would have it mostly be light and fun, because my older brother was such a damned goofball. I was happy with everyone's reaction as I read the speech, my mother even cried.

Rosalie and Emmett picked 'Grow Old With You' by Adam Sandler for their first dance, which made both Bella and I laugh because it suited them so well. When all of the other couples were invited onto the dance floor, I managed to get Bella onto the floor with me.

As I held her in my arms, just looking at her, I knew she was it for me. If I couldn't have Bella in my life, then I never wanted another woman. Ever. The two of us laughed at the lyrics, because we both thought that they were incredibly corny.

"I have to admit, I've always loved this song, despite its excessive amount of cheese," Bella said to me as we danced. I laughed at her comment, because she was so fucking cute.

_I have to admit, I'm so in love with you. I want to do all of these things that are coming from the speakers with you. I want to grow old with you._ "I have to confess, I agree," I said as I leaned in to kiss her.

"Edward? Can I ask you something?" Bella asked timidly and my curiosity was piqued by her questioning.

"Anything," I replied truthfully.

She bit her lip nervously. "Who's Tanya?"

My heart sunk. Why would Bella be asking me this now? I knew I'd never told her about Tanya, because there was nothing to talk about. Our break up had been completely mutual, and we ended things on good terms. "Who told you about Tanya?" I asked her.

"Heidi, but she said you two split amicably."

"That's true, Bella. You have nothing to worry about, I promise," I said as I kissed her forehead and tried to placate her doubts.

"She also said that she was the only serious girlfriend you'd ever had, with the exception of me, of course," Bella said in a tone so low that I almost missed what she'd said.

She was looking down now and I had to set this straight. I put my hand under her chin and lifted her head so she had to look at me in the eyes. "That's true too, Bella."

"Why? I mean, look at you. What did you just sleep around until it got boring or something?" she asked, her tone starting to sound angry. "I just don't get it. Did she cheat on you?"

"I don't know what to say, Bella. It was nothing like that, we just grew apart. No one had ever caught my eye before her, and you're the only one who could have caught it after. Am I clear?" I asked her seriously, never removing my hand from underneath her chin.

She nodded her head and I kissed her softly. "I'm sorry if I sound unhinged. I'm just having difficulty understanding why you haven't discussed this with me before. I feel a little blindsided finding out from Heidi, who wouldn't mind jumping your bones by the way," she stated nervously against my lips and I shook my head.

"I don't know why we never discussed it Bella. Perhaps I just didn't think it was important or something. The only thing important to me is you," I whispered firmly as we continued our dance, moving tentatively together across the floor.

The rest of the night was cheerful, yet somewhat tense. I don't think I let go of Bella once and I enjoyed every second of it. There were moments when I could tell she was thinking hard about something, most likely the Tanya situation, but I didn't really feel like Emmett's wedding was the place to get into the specific details.

When it was time to leave, I was thankful that neither of us had gotten extremely plastered, but I still wanted to take a cab back to the hotel. Once Bella and I stumbled back into our hotel room, it was nearly two in the morning and I was exhausted. I left her in the bedroom for five minutes to use the bathroom and when I came back out, Bella was curled up in a ball, fast asleep on the bed.

I stripped off all of her clothes, leaving her in her bra and panties, and then I undressed till I was in my boxers before I climbed into bed, covering our bodies with the sheets. I lay beside her and held her until I drifted into a restless sleep, still concerned that Bella was worrying about Tanya.

**Flightlessbird11: So, I was kinda hoping to get to 300 reviews when I posted this chap. How do you think I can get the readers to do it?**

**Coldplaywhore: I keep telling you, dirty lemons!**

**Flightlessbird11: Do I have to keep repeating myself? I'm not you, whore. What about Christmas presents for next chapter?**

**Coldplaywhore: Fine. Oh, and maybe a Love Will Come Through update by tomorrow too, for those readers we share. *****smiles evilly* **

**Flightlessbird11: I think that might actually work… since our readers are freaking awesome and since Love Will Come Through kicks some major ass!**

**Click the pretty review button for a sneak peak of Chapter 19! **


	20. Home for the Holidays

**Here we are, Christmas already, my time flies when you're having fun.**

**I know you are all awaiting the big I love you's, have no fear, they'll get there.**

**Huge thanks as usual to my awesome beta, coldplaywhore. We'll be posting our collab shortly, so keep your eyes peeled starting in about a week. Who's excited? I know I am :)**

**Follow me on twitter, flightlssbird11. A few of you have found me so far, and I love hearing from all of you. Thanks to all who review, especially to all of you who do it consistently. **

**I own nothing. Stephenie Meyer owns it all. The only thing I own are the clothes on my back. Well, that's a lie, I do own these words :)**

**BPOV**

The month after the wedding went by in a complete blur. Rosalie and Emmett came back from their honeymoon just before Thanksgiving, which we all went back to Forks to celebrate. Edward and I went to both his and my parents' after which we practically had to be rolled back to Seattle we were so full.

Alice moved back to Seattle last week once her semester had finished out and she was currently staying with me while she looked for her own place. Having her in my apartment was no inconvenience for either of us, mostly because we were both so happy that she was finally back, but also because most of the time I spent the night at Edward's apartment and the same went for Alice and Jasper. My apartment was barely slept in. Except for those nights Edward worked.

Alice had applied to the International Academy of Design and Technology before she left New York, and we received her acceptance letter in the mail the other day. I could tell she would be much happier at IADT because while she was in New York, she not only became interested in fashion and design, but she'd also thought of starting her own business, so IADT was definitely the right place for her.

As for Edward and I, we never brought up Tanya after the wedding. I was a little tense about it at first and I think he knew it, but I was slowly working my way to trusting him completely. I realized that if I wanted my relationship with Edward to move forward, and I definitely did, that I would need to trust him, and taking his word about his relationship with Tanya was my first step.

That's what brought all of us here, a week before Christmas.

I paced around my bedroom, thinking. Christmas was a week away and I had no idea what to get Edward. Shouldn't this be easy? I thought dryly to myself. I obviously wasn't getting anywhere just sitting in my apartment, so I decided to wing it and head out into the city and see what I could find for him.

I wasn't even out of the building before I realized what I should get for his gift. In fact, I felt stupid for not realizing it earlier. I heard the piano playing as I was walking from the building and suddenly a plan started to formulate in my head.

I ran right back upstairs and into my apartment and over to my computer. Of course Google was the first place I went to because really… where else does one go in situations like these? Finally, I stumbled across a website that specialized in making customized staff paper for Edward to write his own original compositions.

Edward had mentioned to me that not only did he play piano, but he also used to write a lot of his own music. He told me that ever since he'd become a doctor, he just lost the time for it, but I could tell from his demeanor when he explained this to me that it saddened him. I thought that ordering him some personalized staff paper would be the perfect inspiration for Edward to start composing his own pieces again. He'd never played me any of the ones he wrote because he claimed that they were juvenile, but I had a feeling that I would think differently. I made sure I chose the overnight delivery option, just to make sure that it got here on time because it would be just my luck that it showed up in January. Just as I was finishing up, Alice walked in the door.

"Bella! I have some fantastic news!" she squealed as she bounced over to me happily.

"What happened Al?"

"I'm moving in with Jasper!" she practically yelled out. I wasn't so sure how I felt about that, seeing as they'd been apart for more time in their relationship than they'd actually spent together on the same side of the country.

"Really? Isn't this a little soon?" I asked, trying to be honest in my opinion on the situation.

"I guess. I mean, I know we've spent so much time apart, but I love him, Bella. I've loved him ever since I saw him that day at the pizza shop for the first time. I know this is right." My resolve was being weakened and she knew it.

"Are you sure Alice? I just don't want to see you get hurt," I asked, because I was truly concerned for her. She had already been through so much in the past few months that I truly just wanted her to be happy again. If that was with Jasper, who was I to complain?

"I am one hundred percent sure about Jasper, Bella. You have nothing to worry about," she said as she took a seat on the couch and I walked over to join her.

"Okay, so when's the big day so I can get all of your crap out of here?" I said jokingly as she punched me in the shoulder lightly. I realized that part of coming out of my shell and trusting Edward, also meant trusting Alice's judgment. She was an excellent judge of character herself and had never once been wrong; it was almost like she had a sixth sense for that type of thing. If she was sure about Jasper, then I was sure about Jasper.

"Well, we were thinking right after New Years."

"I'm happy for you, Al," I said honestly as I put my arm around her shoulder and hugged her close to me.

"I'm happy for me too," she said as we both began to laugh and I couldn't help but be glad that things were working out so well for both of us.

After our little pow-wow, I made Alice and me some dinner because Edward was working late at the hospital and I wouldn't get to see him tonight. Alice had told Jasper that she'd be there for dinner every night soon enough, so he could fend for himself for one night, which actually left him speechless, causing both Alice and I to laugh hysterically.

We spent the night watching cheesy movies. One I had picked and one Alice had picked. I'd picked, Romeo and Juliet, the version with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, because I enjoyed it more than the 1968 version. Even though you get to see Romeo's ass in that version, this version was just better. Plus, Alice had never seen it and the reason why was a complete mystery to me because who the hell hadn't see this movie?

We watched and we laughed at John Leguizamo because he always played the strangest characters, he even managed to turn Tybalt into an even stranger character. When Alice pulled out the movie she had chosen, it was time to take out the ice cream and the booze. Not that we would need it for the movie, but just because it was a girl's night in and we could.

"I can't believe you never saw that movie, its classic," I said to her as I looked in my refrigerator for the pints of Ben & Jerry's ice cream that I'd picked up from the store the other day. I wasn't surprised to find that Alice was rummaging through my liquor.

"I know. Why didn't you ever force me to watch it before? You held out on me," she said with a laugh as she took out the bottle of Bailey's I'd picked up a few days ago because I deemed it a necessity for the holidays.

"I don't know. You just never seemed interested. Ice cream and Bailey's Alice? Isn't that a little much?" I asked with a slight giggle.

"Only if you think it is, but I say _nope_," she said as we both started laughing and I nodded my head in agreement. We walked back into the living room, me carrying a pint of Cake Batter and a pint of Chunky Monkey. Alice followed behind carrying two empty shot glasses and the bottle of Bailey's, which would no doubt be gone by the end of the movie.

"So what are you subjecting me to this evening?" I asked as I plopped down on the couch and handed her the pint of Cake Batter and she handed me a shot of Bailey's.

Alice silently popped a DVD into the player and a few moments later 'He's Just Not That Into You' came onto the screen. "I've never seen this," I said to her and scraped some ice cream off my spoon.

"I know, but I think you'll like it," she said confidently. I was surprised that throughout the rest of the movie we were quiet, except for the occasional bout of laughter and talk about how cute Justin Long was. I actually did like the movie or maybe that was Bailey talking, but I definitely enjoyed myself before we both ended up falling asleep on the couch.

I woke up the next morning to the ring of my cell phone. I made the mistake of moving my body too quickly to try and reach it on the coffee table, and as a result my neck protested. Painfully, reminding me to never, ever fall asleep on the couch again.

The caller ID told me it was Edward calling. "Hey," I said sleepily. I looked over at the clock and saw that it was already ten in the morning. How had I managed to sleep so long, so uncomfortably?

"Hey. Did I wake you?" Edward asked with his smooth voice.

"No. Well, yes, but its okay. You have permission," I said as I heard him laugh on the other end of the line.

"I'm glad. Are you feeling okay? You sound like something's wrong," he asked with concern. He really did pick up on the smallest details, didn't he?

"Yeah, I'm fine. Alice and I had movie night last night and we ended up falling asleep on the couch and I now I have a very stiff neck."

"Oh. Well I'll have to remedy that for you later," he said and my mind was immediately filled with all of the ways he could rid me of a stiff neck.

"I guess you will," I said as I got up from the couch, being careful and trying not to wake Alice. "Hey, didn't you have an overnight shift? Why are you up?" I said as I walked into my bedroom once I realized that he was calling me at ten in the morning after not coming home until god knows when.

"Yeah, but I managed to get out by four, so I got more sleep than usual, although I still couldn't sleep," he said and I immediately knew what he meant. I'd gotten used to having him in my bed or in any bed for that matter. I never slept as well when he wasn't there with me.

"Well at least you didn't sleep curled up in a ball next to Alice. She's a couch hog," I said as I heard another laugh escape him. "So, what are you up to today mister?"

"I was going to suggest a movie night for us tonight, but I can see that you've done that," he said casually, sounding slightly disappointed.

"Edward. A movie night with you is _nothing_ like a movie night with Alice. I don't spend half the movie kissing Alice," I said with a small laugh.

"Only half? I'd like to think I keep you occupied longer than that."

"Shut up. Go get some more sleep. I'll cook you some dinner and you can come over later with the movie of your choice. I'll make sure to kick Alice's tiny butt out of here before you arrive," I said cheerfully. With that agreed upon, we both said our goodbyes and I went into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.

"Bella, you and Edward are incapable of having a quiet conversation. Were you aware of that?" said Alice as she dragged her feet into the kitchen sleepily and grabbed a coffee mug while she watched me preparing the pot of coffee.

"Sorry, Al, I tried. By the way, you should make sure the coffee is ready before fetching a cup."

"Whatever. Just remind me never to eat an entire pint of Ben & Jerry's before bed next time. I have a food hangover," she said as I laughed at her.

"Will do. You're staying as Jasper's tonight right?" I asked, already planning what I would cook for Edward.

"Yes, yes… you and Edward can have the place to yourselves after seven."

The coffee pot beeped and I quickly poured Alice and myself a cup of coffee, eager to feel the caffeine in my body.

"You know I'm happy for you right? That you're moving in with Jasper," I asked, seeing as my reaction yesterday wasn't one hundred percent positive. I really was happy for her and I felt like I needed her to know that.

"Yeah I know, Bell. Thanks," she said as we continued sipping our coffee. I showered and threw on my jeans, my black thermal and a plaid vest and my blue booties before letting her know that I was going to the grocery store to pick something up for Edward's and my dinner tonight. I ended up buying ingredients for Chicken Tetrazzini.

Edward got to my apartment at exactly seven o'clock and as expected, Alice had already left to spend the night at Jasper's, or I guess now it was practically her place too.

"Hey stranger," I said as I opened the door for him, my smile bright and happy since I hadn't seen him in a few days.

"Hey yourself," he said as he curled a piece of my hair, that I had let down for once, behind my ear and kissed me softly. "Mmm what are you cooking baby?" he asked against my lips. I smiled just as I always did when Edward let me know how much he loved my cooking.

"Chicken Tetrazzini," I answered him as I pulled away reluctantly. We walked into the kitchen and I offered him a glass of wine that I had poured just before he arrived.

"It smells fucking delicious," he said as he stuck his index finger into the pot of sauce and I quickly slapped his hand away, but not before he managed to get some of it onto his finger.

"Edward Cullen, get into that living room and go watch TV or something," I said, shooing him away as he licked his finger. He laughed at me and shook his head.

"Not a chance. I wanted to talk to you about Christmas next weekend."

"What about it?" I asked. I knew that we were going to Forks to spend Christmas with our families, but I also knew that we would each be staying with our own families.

"I'm staying with my parents and you're staying with yours. So I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me and my family, that is, if Charlie and Renee don't mind me stealing you," he said. I knew that wouldn't be an issue in the least.

"I'd love to. Charlie and Renee were never huge on Christmas dinner, so I know it won't be a problem," I said, smirking. His staff paper had in fact arrived this afternoon, and it currently sat in my closet waiting to be wrapped.

"Sounds like a plan."

We ate dinner with the conversation flowing easily between us, just like it always did. He had another shift late the next afternoon, so I asked if he could stay with me tonight, to which he gladly accepted. We popped in the move he'd brought with him, Ferris Bueller's Day Off and I looked at him questioningly.

"What? I wanted to make sure I could keep you occupied through more than half," he said as he smiled a goofy-looking smile. I shook my head at him as he put it in the DVD player. He sat down and the movie started and not five minutes later his lips were on my neck. Well that was fast, but hey, I wasn't complaining.

I turned my head and my lips met his. We continued like that for most of the movie, except when Ben Stein kept saying 'Anyone? Bueller… Bueller.' That part always made me crack up and apparently even if Edward was kissing me I would still laugh.

By the end of the movie, Edward was nearly passed out. "Come on sleepyhead, time for bed," I said as I took his hand and led him to the bedroom. He stripped off his shirt and jeans and I did the same. We climbed into my bed and lay down, facing each other. I reached out and stroked the dark circles under his eye. "You look so tired."

"I feel tired," he said with a yawn. I kept stroking his cheek until he drifted off into sleep, with me following closely after.

The next morning, I woke up and Edward was nowhere to be found. I rubbed my eyes and walked into the kitchen, where the smell of coffee, eggs and bacon was coming from. "Mmm… it smells so good," I said as I walked behind Edward and wrapped my arms around him, kissing his back, which was shirtless. He was cooking the eggs and he turned around to face me. When he turned around, I saw the change in his eyes immediately. The dark circles were completely gone and he didn't look tired at all.

"Thanks baby," he said as he leaned down to kiss me tenderly.

"You look better this morning," I mentioned to him.

"I slept better last night than I have in a while."

"I know what you mean. I always sleep better when you're with me," I said. I was slowly working my way up to admitting my feelings to him more openly. I realized that I'd been holding back telling him small things like that, but I'd resolved to telling him those things more often.

We ate the breakfast he'd cooked for me before he left for the hospital. It was delicious. My man could fucking cook.

The rest of the week passed by in a blur. By the time Thursday rolled around it was hard to believe that the next day would be Christmas Eve. I didn't like the fact that Edward and I would be apart tonight and tomorrow night, but we both wanted to spend the holiday with our families and we agreed that it wasn't the right time to blend our families just yet. We drove the three hour drive to Forks that afternoon, where Edward dropped me off at my parents' house before he headed to Carlisle and Esme's.

We got out of the car and walked into my parents' house and we were greeted by a very cheerful Renee. "Oh I'm so glad you kids are here," she beamed as she let Edward and me into the house, but not before locking us both into her iron vice grip of a hug.

"Hey mom," I said once we were safely within the warm confines of the house.

"Hello Renee," Edward said just as Charlie walked into the foyer where we stood, Edward still holding my bags. "Hey Charlie," he said as he placed my bag on the floor and reached to shake Charlie's hand. I marveled at the way my father and Edward got along.

"Hey Edward," my father said as they shook hands amiably.

We talked for a little while about Edward's plans for Christmas with his family and he asked my parents' permission to steal me away for dinner Christmas night. They graciously agreed and I walked Edward out of the house.

"You'll come over tomorrow night?" he asked me once we reached the Volvo.

"Of course," I replied as he leaned in and place a slow, tempting kiss to my lips. As much as I wanted to see my parents for Christmas, I really, _really_ didn't want to leave Edward right now.

"See ya," I said once he pulled away from me and moved to the other side of his car.

"Tomorrow night," he reminded me before he got in his car and I watched him get in and drive away. It was going to be a long time till tomorrow night.

**EPOV**

I walked into the house a little bit happy that I would be spending Christmas with Bella and with my entire family, but also melancholy since I wouldn't be with Bella every second while I was home. That's how it would be if I had my way.

"Hello sweetie," my mother said as she greeted me at the door and kissed my cheek, while taking my bags. Even though they had more than enough money to be able to afford a maid, my mother insisted on doing things herself. That was just her way and I loved her for it.

"Hey mom," I said as I took all but one bag from her and brought them up to my childhood room, smiling at the memory of Bella riding me on my bed after Emmett and Rose's engagement party. Great, now I was hard. Jesus, I should not be thinking about shit like that around my mother.

We went back downstairs after we'd put my bags down and my mother was already starting on dinner. Emmett and Rosalie were coming over tomorrow night and Christmas morning, so they would be joining my parents, Bella and I tomorrow night for dinner.

Our Christmas Eve was the same as always, with the exception of the fact that Emmett and Rosalie were now married. We decorated the tree, during which time I spent watching my brother and his new wife and hoping that it would be Bella and I decorating our own tree someday. _When did I become such a nancy boy?_ I guess shit like that happens when you fall in love.

Bella came over to the house for dinner and she brought homemade chocolate covered peanut brittle with her. It was fucking good. She promised to come to the house at 10 a.m. sharp the next morning and I assured her that we would all be awake when she looked at me questioningly. The truth was I just wanted to give her the gift I'd gotten her already. It had been burning a hole in my pocket ever since we left New York and I was dying to see her reaction to it.

Sure enough, at ten o'clock, Bella pulled in the driveway in her mother's old Volkswagen. She clutched two presents in her hands and I immediately wondered if I should have gotten her more than one gift. I answered the door and all my worries were forgotten when I was met with her sparkling brown eyes.

Without a word, my lips were on hers. "Merry Christmas to you too," she said against my lips.

"Hey, come on in," I said as I took the presents from her hands and then I shook both of them lightly, my curiosity getting the better of me. One was a rectangular shape that was about two inches thick and a little smaller than a standard shirt box. The other was in a small square box. I was officially intrigued. "Was I a good boy?" I asked, gesturing to the presents.

Bella quickly rolled her eyes at me. "One is for your mother," she said as she walked into the house after I took her coat. I felt immediately relieved that I wasn't short on gifts, but a little bit guilty at the same time that I hadn't gotten anything for Bella's parents.

"Oh. I didn't get your mother anything," I added anxiously.

"It's fine Edward. Your mother is having me here three times while we are home for the holidays, it's the least I can do." I chuckled and kissed her forehead as I brought her into the living room where everyone else was sitting, waiting to exchange gifts. Rosalie and Emmett had arrived just before Bella, so we were all set and ready to go.

"Hey Bell," Emmett boomed as he got up to capture her in his firm grip. I smiled happily as I saw how much he enjoyed having her around.

"Hey Em," she said once she could breathe. "Hey Rose," she said as she moved over and they hugged as well. I loved watching her with my family. She also got hugs from my parents, which made me happiest of all; they weren't exactly Tanya's biggest fans while we had been dating.

We all exchanged gifts and my mother loved the gift Bella had gotten her; a ceramic ornament that had all of our names written in elegant writing on what looked like a Christmas list. She was good.

"It's the least I could do Esme, really," she said gracefully when my mother insisted she didn't have to get her a gift.

"Nonsense, Bella. We're more than happy to have you here," said my mother as she gave Bella another small hug.

Next it was my turn, Emmett and Rosalie had gotten me tickets to see the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, which I had to admit seemed nice for a change. Then they opened the Supersonics tickets I had gotten for them and I think Rosalie might have been more excited than Emmett was. I knew they would enjoy going to a game together.

"Courtside? Are you shitting me?" Rosalie blurted out when she saw the tickets. Everyone looked at her quizzically and she quickly said a quiet 'thanks' as the rest of us continued to open our gifts. Emmett and I had pooled our money together to get our old home movies transferred to DVD for our parents. My mother loved the idea and she said she couldn't wait to watch them. I'd saved Bella's gift for last and she did the same for me; I think we both wanted to exchange our gifts in private.

"Come on," I whispered in her ear once everyone else was distracted with their own gifts. I grabbed her hand and she brought the gift she was still holding in her hand with her. I brought her up to my old room and sat her down on my bed, which we'd made love on just two months ago.

"I want you to have yours first," Bella said as I went to the nightstand where I had put the necklace two days earlier when I'd arrived home.

"If you say so," I said as I brought the small box that I'd carefully disguised with my own wrapping paper. I sat down on the bed next to her and placed the box beside her. She handed me the rectangular shaped gift and I placed it on my lap as I gently tore the wrapping paper and was stunned when I saw what she had gotten me.

"What…" I said as I took a closer look. It was custom made, personalized staff paper. It had 'Music Composed by Edward Anthony Cullen' written in elegant script across the top. "Bella, this is amazing," I said as I leaned over and gave her a kiss on the lips. "Thank you so much baby."

"I remember you told me how you wished you still wrote music, so I thought I would take the initiative and get you started," she said with a cute shrug and I found myself realizing just how well she truly knew me.

"I will definitely do that now. It helps to have someone who inspires me to write too," I said as I kissed her cheek, placed the sheet music to the side and handed Bella the small box which contained her present.

Bella gave me a small smile before tearing the wrapping paper to reveal the signature blue box. I heard her short intake of breath as she untied the bow and lifted the top off the box. She held up the necklace that had two lock-shaped charms on the long gold chain. One had the letter 'E' inside the lock and the other had a 'B.' It was my way of showing her how I felt about her.

"Oh, Edward," she said as she held it up in front of her and smiled. "It's beautiful," she said as she handed it to me and lifted up her long brown hair as she turned her head, signaling for me to put it on. I did just that and she turned around, cupping my face and giving me a passionate kiss. "Thank you," she mumbled as she continued to kiss me.

I pulled back slightly and when I saw her face, I knew it was my moment. I cupped her cheek in my hand and stroked it with my thumb gently. I needed to tell her, whether she ran or not, she needed to know that I loved her. "Bella…" I began, just as the door swung open. Bella and I both whipped our heads around to see what had interrupted our moment alone.

"Mom and dad want to watch the home movies," Emmett boomed as I put my head down and rested it on Bella's shoulder in defeat. I was going to kill my brother.

"Be right there, Em," I said in an aggravated tone. Did he even know what he'd just done? I could only hope that Bella didn't. Emmett left the room, leaving the door wide open and Bella laughed as she grabbed my hands in hers.

"Come on, time for home movies," she said as she got up off the bed, taking me with her.

"Good thing I didn't put any embarrassing ones on there," I said jokingly as we headed back downstairs.

The rest of the day was surprisingly blissful. Bella left shortly after we watched the home movies, which she'd found hilarious and she'd come back that night for dinner after spending the day with her parents. She had more peanut brittle with her, since everyone had loved it the first time she had brought it for us.

Two days later, Bella and I drove back to Seattle and we were both exhausted when we got home in the middle of the afternoon. We agreed that I would drop her off at her apartment because I had a shift at the hospital that night, so I really needed sleep.

"But you can sleep here, I'll lie with you until you have to leave. Then I can have dinner," she said as we stood outside her door. Bella really wasn't helping especially when she pouted her lips and leaned in to kiss my neck. I was done for as soon as her soft lips touched my skin.

"Come on, let's go," I said with a chuckle and I grabbed our bags as she unlocked the door. She kept true to her word and lay with me until I fell asleep with her arms wrapped around me. She woke me up at five and sent me to the hospital with some left over peanut brittle that she had hidden from me since we left Forks.

I loved her.

I kissed her goodbye for about ten minutes and reluctantly left her apartment. Just as I got into the in the parking garage and was sitting in my car, my phone rang; it was a blocked number.

"Hello?" I answered curiously. I normally wouldn't answer a blocked number, but for some reason I did.

"Edward? It's Tanya."

**I know, you hate me right now. Oh well :)**

**Click the review button, right down there, and get a sneak peek of Chapter 20!**


	21. I Can't Make You Love Me

**So this is sooner than I had expected to get this chapter out, so you should all be glad :) I'm sure you're all curious as to what Tanya wants, and I promise the answer to that question is in this chapter.**

**Huge thanks as usual to my fuckawesome beta coldplaywhore. You should all go check out her new story 'The Resolution.' Big thanks also to everyone who reviewed. I love all of you.**

**I don't own Twilight, but I do own 5 new novels for one of my English classes… ew.**

**BPOV**

The next few days after Christmas were nothing short of amazing. Since fall semester was over, I had all the free time in the world to spend with Edward, when he wasn't at the hospital that is.

I was in the kitchen cooking dinner for Edward and myself on Wednesday night, waiting for the steak to come out of the oven. I reached for the necklace that Edward had given me for Christmas that was now hanging on my neck. I smiled at the memory of seeing the two lock shaped charms on the long golden chain for the first time.

I knew Edward was trying to make a statement by giving me this necklace, but his lack of actual words had me wondering. Was he trying to say that he loved me? Was I okay with that? The most important question of all seemed to be- do I love Edward?

The timer went off on the stove, signaling that the steak was ready and I realized that Edward should be here at any minute. I put my oven mitts on and lifted the tray from the broiler. My arm hit the top of the oven as I was lifting the tray out of it, sending a searing pain up my arm and causing me to drop the tray.

"OW!" I yelped in pain. Tears started rolling down my face as I put my hand over the burn and saw the tray and the meat that had fallen onto the floor. "Dammit," I said as I turned around and suddenly Edward was running towards me after he had come into the apartment.

"Bella what happened?" he asked as he came over and touched my arm, lifting my hand from the burn.

"Oven… hot," I said cryptically as he guided me over to the sink, running cold water over the searing hot wound. The cool water felt good against my skin. Edward reached over and wiped the tears that had fallen from my face and kissed where they had stained my cheeks.

"You scared the living daylights out of me, Bella. I heard you scream and I panicked," he said with a slight chuckle.

"Sorry. I should be more careful," I said, looking down at the water that was still running over my aching arm.

"Shit. No, don't be sorry. I'm just relieved you're not mortally wounded," he said as I nodded my head and he took my arm out from under the cold water and brought me to the bathroom where he put some Neosporin on the burn and wrapped it in gauze. Yes, I was so often in need of such things that I kept them at the ready in my apartment.

We ended up ordering Chinese for dinner since the steak had taken a dive. When I asked Edward if he was free to meet me for lunch the next day, he oddly avoided my question by mumbling something about being busy, without looking at me, and then quickly moving to attack my neck with his lips. When I tried to bring the subject back to lunch tomorrow, he silenced me with his mouth yet again.

I dropped the issue, because maybe he was just horny and couldn't handle being apart from me. My assumption had been right; he was definitely horny because we hadn't even finished eating before he was carrying me to my bedroom.

"Edward, you have a shift in the morning…" I began to say as I was yet again silenced by his lips and he was now unbuttoning my pants. _Edward, I am more than happy to drop this subject and let you have your way with me,_ is probably what I would have ended up saying anyway. I groaned as I finally gave in, reaching for the hem of his shirt and pulling it off of his body once he'd thrown me onto the bed and joined me.

My lips suddenly attached to his shirtless chest as he finally unbuttoned my pants and ripped them from my body. I hastily unbuckled his belt and rid him of his pants with just as much fervor as he had rid me of mine and I couldn't help but notice his straining erection beneath his boxers. I think I might have even licked my lips.

In one swift movement, my shirt was off and Edward's face was immediately buried between my breasts, kissing and licking as his hands fumbled behind my back as he worked to unclasp my bra. I moaned when his tongue flicked my nipple then he leaned forward and sucked it into his mouth, his tongue languidly moving around the hard peak. As I struggled to maintain some composure, I worked on getting his boxers off and almost threw my hands up in victory when I finally succeeded. If his goal was to get me desperate for him, then he had definitely achieved that goal.

"Mmmm Bella," he moaned against my neck as I felt his hardness pressed firmly between my legs, just where I wanted him. Unfortunately, I noticed one thing was missing in our haste to ravish each other. I reached over into the nightstand and pulled out the shiny foil package and tapped Edward lightly on the shoulder. He looked up from the nipple he was sucking as I waved the condom in front of him.

"Sorry baby, I got a little excited," stammered Edward as he took it from me and sheathed his cock before thrusting it inside of me in one swift movement.

"Oh god, Edward," I moaned as he began to move inside me. He rolled us over so that I was on top, straddling him and then he grabbed my hips and began forcing me up and down on his hard cock.

I bent down and kissed him fiercely, still moving my hips against his and our tongues collided as his hands moved from my hips up to massage my breasts. I'm not sure how long we lasted like that, but all of a sudden Edward spoke. "You're so sexy when you ride me," he said against my lips. I groaned loudly at his words and Edward's hips began thrusting upwards to meet mine. Suddenly, I felt my entire body tighten and explode with Edward coming inside me at the same moment.

I rested my head on his shoulder as our labored breathing slowed and he kissed my forehead. "How is your arm?" he asked with concern after a moment of peace. He grabbed my arm and placed a soft kiss over the bandage that was hiding the burn from earlier.

"Its fine," I said with a yawn as I rolled off of him. Suddenly Edward got up off the bed and went into my bathroom and I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I loved watching his bare ass as he walked away. "Where are you going?"

He didn't answer, instead, a few seconds later he walked back into the room with a glass of water and handed it to me along with two Tylenol once he was seated beside me again on the bed. I looked at him incredulously.

"What? You're a terrible liar, Bella," he said with a laugh as I chose not to argue. I simply popped the pills into my mouth and swallowed them with the help of the water he had given me.

I put the glass down on my nightstand and turned the light off as Edward put his arm around me and pulled me towards him. "Night Edward."

"Goodnight Bella," he said as he kissed the top of my head and I snuggled up to his chest and drifted to sleep in his arms.

I woke up the next morning to a note on my pillow.

_Bella,_

_I hope you're free for dinner tonight. I'll be home from the hospital sometime in the early evening. I miss you._

–_Edward._

I smiled at the prospect of seeing him later tonight for dinner and when I looked over at my alarm clock, I saw that it was already eleven o'clock. _Jeez since when do I sleep so freaking late? _I got up out of bed lazily to take a shower. I put more Neosporin on my arm and wrapped it in more gauze after I stepped out of the shower.

I got dressed and went to make myself some lunch. I was hungry and in desperate need of something to eat due to the fact that I had slept so fricking late. I quickly discovered that I had nothing substantial in the fridge and so I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things.

I ended up stopping for lunch at a small café first and then spent the next two hours in the grocery store. I bought the ingredients for several meals for the next week because I was on a roll planning things that I would make for Edward. Alice came home while I was out and when I walked into the apartment and into the kitchen and I saw her fiddling with the oven.

"How do you use this contraption?" she shrieked when she saw me walk into the room. I immediately smelled something burning.

"What are you burning Alice?" I asked as I walked over to see what she was doing in there.

"I was trying to bake Jasper a cake, but as soon as I turned the oven on some crap started burning and I don't know how to fix it," she said in an exasperated tone. I bent over the oven door and took a look inside. I noticed that some of the steak from the dinner I had spilled all over the floor last night has also landed in the oven and was now burning.

"Sorry Al. I burned myself on the oven last night and I dropped the steak all over the floor. Apparently I missed some," I said as I turned the oven off so I could clean it after it cooled. Alice looked down at my arm and saw the bandage that was hiding the burn.

"Did Edward wrap that for you? I've never seen you take such good care of a burn," Alice aid with a laugh as I blushed.

"Yep, he did. He was freaking out for some reason when it happened."

"'For some reason?'" Alice questioned. "Are you seriously that blind Bella?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, feigning innocence. I had a feeling I knew where this conversation was going and even though I was working my way to admitting my feelings more freely, I didn't know if I was ready to admit them _that_ freely just yet.

"Oh my god, Bella. I've been holding back for weeks… for as long as I have been here and I see the way you two are around each other. I can't ignore it anymore," she said as she placed her hands on her hips and looked at me incredulously.

"You're going to have to be a little more specific there Alice." Her hands flew up in the air in frustration and she let out a loud huff.

"He loves you, Bella, and I don't mean like some high school bullshit that Jacob dragged you along for. He's madly in love with you. You can see it written all over his face every time he sees you. I know you love him too, Bell, you get the same stupid grin he has when you're around him. Every time you're around each other it's like this bubble forms around the two of you and no one can get through it," Alice said in one long rant. I stood there for a moment, looking at her in amazement and I knew she was right.

I closed my eyes and lowered my head. "You're right Alice. You're completely right. I do love him," I said and it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders as soon as the words left my lips.

I love Edward.

"Thank god! I was afraid you would never admit it," she said cheerfully with a smile. "Are you going to let him in on this little revelation?"

Hmm… I hadn't thought about that part. I was still so shocked that I had finally admitted it to myself. "I don't know, Alice. I don't know if I can yet," I said as I abandoned the mess in the kitchen and walked into the living room, plopping myself down on the couch with Alice following closely behind me.

"Bella, tell me that you can't see he loves you. You'd have to be blind not to see it," she said as she sat down next to me on the couch and rubbed my arm in a soothing motion.

"You really think so?" I asked. Alice nodded and gently fingered the necklace that was around my neck.

"A man doesn't give a woman something like this when he's not in love," she said as I took the necklace from her and looked down at the two charms. I knew what I had to do then.

"Thank you Alice. I'm going to tell him. Right now actually," I said as I shot up from the couch and walked into my bedroom to get my shoes and jacket. "I'm going to the hospital. I have no idea how I am going to do this, but I know I have to," I said as I slid my feet into my sneakers and put my arms into my jacket.

"Oh this is so romantic!" Alice beamed as she hopped up from the couch and clapped her hands.

"Whatever you say Al. I'll see you later. Wish me luck," I said nervously as I ran out the door.

I ran to the elevator and stepped in, completely freaking out about what I was about to do. I didn't know how I was going to do it but all I knew was that Edward needed to know that I was in love with him. I felt like this feeling wasn't real unless he knew, like it would disappear if I didn't tell him now.

The elevator stopped on the first floor in the lobby and when the doors opened, what my eyes saw made my heart shatter and it took every ounce of energy not to fall in a heap on the floor and start sobbing.

There stood Edward with a strawberry blonde haired woman. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck and her lips were on his. When she pulled away and looked towards the elevator, I just stood there… frozen. I didn't know if what I was seeing was real or not. It felt like someone had just torn out my heart, taking part of my soul with it and tearing it into a million pieces before my eyes.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, my I found my voice and was able to speak. "Edward?" I said and for the first time I experienced the new pain that came with saying his name aloud. His head turned to face me and his eyes widened in shock. He clearly hadn't known I was standing there.

"Bella, I… shit," he said as he moved towards me and I found that my feet could actually move as I stalked past him, without letting him touch me. I couldn't let him touch me. "Bella wait…" he shouted angrily as I continued walking, doing my best to ignore his existence.

I felt moisture pooling in my eyes before spilling over and rolling down my cheeks. These were different tears from the ones I had experienced last night when I had been burned. I would rather face that physical pain a million times over than feel one fraction of the emotional pain I was feeling in that moment.

"Bella! Please let me explain," he said as he finally caught up to me. I didn't know if I was able to form words but my mouth opened involuntarily, proving that I could manage to say something.

"How can you possibly explain what I just saw?" I said as I felt the overwhelming need to just disappear. I wanted to be as far away from Edward's presence as I possibly could. The pain was threatening to take me over completely.

"Jesus, Bella just listen-" he began, but I cut him off. Edward reached for my arm, but I quickly pulled away from him before he had the chance to touch me. "No, please don't do this. Bella, I love you!" he said. I froze instantly at his words. He _loves_ me? How could he possible love me when I just saw him kissing another woman? His words were painfully familiar and I felt like I could lose it any second.

"No! I thought you were different, Edward. I thought that I…" I said as I sobbed, I couldn't even finish the thought that I had almost confessed my love for him. Anger began to surface through the overbearing pain and my hand reached up and slapped him clear across the cheek. My hand ached when I was done, but it was not nearly as bad as how much my heart ached at that moment. I reached for the necklace that he had given me and ripped it from around my neck, throwing it in his general direction. I couldn't stand to wear it anymore. I turned and walked away from him without looking at his face. He didn't follow me.

I turned the corner, running away from our apartment building. I didn't know where I was going, but I needed to keep moving and not look back. When I couldn't run or walk anymore, I started shivering and immediately I knew I had to stop. I walked into the nearest building, not even paying attention to what it was but I wasn't too surprised when I figured out that it was a Starbucks. This was Seattle after all. I sat at one of the tables and nervously pulled out my cell phone and called Alice.

"How did it go?" she answered excitedly but I couldn't form words. After a few moments of silence I knew I had to speak before she had me committed to an asylum.

"Alice," I cried as a sob escaped my lips. "I need your help," I managed to choke out.

"Bella? What the hell happened?" she asked nervously.

"Just come. I'm at the Starbucks across from…" I looked across the street to see the bank across the street, "Chase bank. Its a few blocks south of our apartment building. Please come get me."

**EPOV**

Before I left Bella's apartment in the morning, I left a note on her pillow and went upstairs to my apartment to get ready for my shift at the hospital. I'd told her that I would be home in the early evening, because I was meeting Tanya in the afternoon after my shift, so I knew I wouldn't be back until later. I felt like a complete dick lying to the woman I love, but I needed to know what Tanya wanted before I got Bella worried for nothing.

When she'd asked me to have lunch with her last night, I immediately panicked. I decided to distract her by ravishing her body and that almost backfired when I had nearly forgotten a condom. I was too worried about getting her mind off of lunch that that's what it had come to.

I felt like a complete idiot.

I spent my entire day at the hospital thinking about it. About what Tanya could want from me, about what Bella would think of me if she found out that I was meeting with my ex-girlfriend, who I had previously assured her was no one she should be worried about. By the time my shift was over, I was a complete wreck.

I quickly showered and redressed at the hospital, getting ready to meet Tanya at a restaurant in the city. She'd picked the place, so I really didn't know what to expect. When I arrived at the restaurant, the hostess informed me that my party had not yet arrived, so she sat me at the table and I ordered nothing but water while I waited for Tanya. The longer I waited, the more panic I began to feel.

I had no idea what the fuck I was doing. Why did she want to see me now? Why hadn't I told Bella? Tanya had sounded so goddamn upset over the phone and she just wanted to talk, so I agreed. I felt pretty bad that I didn't have time to see her all week, but she seemed content to wait until now.

I shifted nervously in my chair, wondering what she wanted from me, when suddenly she was standing in front of me. My elbows had been resting on the table and my hands were in my hair. I looked up and saw her tall, slender figure standing across the table of the restaurant. "Hey Tanya."

"Hello Edward," she said in a solemn tone. She hadn't changed at all since the last time I had seen her. Except for the sadness that was now in her eyes. She sat down across from me and didn't waste a moment before she started explaining herself.

"I'm sorry I called you like that," she said quietly. "My sister, Irina just passed away and I didn't know who else to call. You were the first person that came to mind," she finished, her voice cracking at the end.

"Tanya, I'm so sorry," I said as I reached across the table and put my hand over the one she had resting there. I knew Irina had been her closest sister and in all the time I was with Tanya, I had learned things like that about her. They were extremely close and I knew that she must be suffering from the loss of her sister.

The rest of our lunch consisted of Tanya telling me the details of how her sister died. Apparently she had been murdered by an angry ex-boyfriend, who didn't like the fact that she had moved on. Tanya could barely tell the story without bursting into tears and by the time she was finished, she looked like she could really use some freshening up.

"I knew how much you loved her Tanya. She knew too," I said once she was finished explaining the details to me. Neither of us had ordered anything to eat or drink, which I am sure was irritating our waitress to no end, but I could care less.

"I know. She didn't deserve to have that happen to her. She was so innocent," she said as she started crying again.

"Tanya, no one deserves to have that happen to them," I said, trying to reassure her. "Did they catch him?" I asked as I took a sip of my water.

"Yeah, they did. It wasn't exactly hard for the police to figure out who he was, since she had a restraining order against him already," she said as she put her head in her hands and continued crying. "I just can't believe she's gone," she said, her voice muffled from being buried in her hands.

"Come on, let's get you freshened up. You look like you could use it," I said as I stood up and she looked up at me.

"Thank you Edward. Thank you for everything," she said as she stood up and we walked back to my apartment. Her demeanor changed immediately during the walk back to my building.

"So, what have you been up to lately, Dr. Cullen?" she asked, trying to smile and show that she was proud that I had achieved my goal of becoming a doctor.

I didn't know if I should tell her about Bella, so I just stuck to her direct question. "I've been great. I started at my dad's hospital in Forks over the summer and then got an offer here at Northwest and I love it," I said, trying to be honest with her while not gloating about my own happiness, when she was clearly not as happy as I was.

"I'm proud of you," she said as she grabbed my hand and we walked into the apartment building. I felt a little uncomfortable with her holding my hand, but I didn't want to make her any more upset than she already was. We waited by the elevator, behind two other people when Tanya turned to face me. "Edward," she said as she put her arms around my neck. "I miss you. I miss us."

She looked so desperate, like she was looking for any kind of physical connection, but I couldn't let this go any further. "Tanya, I-" I began before she cut me off by forcing her lips onto mine. I gently pushed her away, and was about to explain to her that I was seeing someone, not just anyone, _the one, _when three things seemed to happen at the same time. Tanya turned towards the elevator that had just opened and I heard my name being called. I looked up and saw Bella, staring between Tanya and me, her face contorted in pain. Then, finally, my heart shattered. This was the _one_ thing I'd promised myself would never happen. I hurt her. No, I fucking crushed her and me at the exact same time.

"Bella, I…" I didn't even know what to say to her. How could I salvage this? "Shit," was all I managed to say before I walked towards her. She quickly moved past me before I had the chance to start explaining and I immediately ran after her.

"Bella! Let me explain," I shouted as soon as I caught up to her. I needed her to know that I would _never_ intentionally hurt her and that I would give her the world if she would just listen to me.

"How can you possibly explain what I just saw?" I started to panic and I didn't know how to respond.

"Jesus, Bella just listen-" I said as I reached out to touch her arm, hoping to get her to understand. I stopped speaking when she flinched away from my touch and I saw three words that might prevent her any more heartache. "No, please don't do this. Bella, I love you!" I said, desperate to earn her forgiveness. Her body went rigid before she spoke again.

"No! I thought you were different, Edward. I thought that I…" she said as she began sobbing and slapped me across the face, my face burning at the harsh contact and I couldn't help but be glad. I deserved that even though I hadn't initiated or participated the kiss with Tanya. Then Bella did something that made my heart ache even more, if that was even possible. She took hold of the necklace I had given to her not even a week ago and ripped it from her neck, throwing it at me and turning away. She began walking away and I didn't follow her; I couldn't follow her.

I knelt down on the cement and picked up the necklace that was now on the sidewalk, broken. It felt like she hadn't just ripped the necklace, but that she had torn my heart out with it.

_I'll close my eyes, then I won't see  
The love you don't feel when you're holding me  
Morning will come and I'll do what's right  
Just give me till then to give up this fight  
And I will give up this fight_

_Cause I can't make you love me if you don't_

**Well, I'm sure that if you didn't hate me at the end of the last chapter, that you sure as hell hate me now! I know, I'm evil :)**

**Click that review button and get a sneak peek of the next chapter!**


	22. Colors Seem to Fade

**I'm sorry this took so long. Emoward was making me a crackhead. Just ask my beta, coldplaywhore, who by the way, made this chapter so fuckawesome!**

**Coldplaywhore and I will be posting our collab entitled 'Maybe I'm Falling For You' later today, so you all better have me on author alert!**

**I don't own Twilight. I own a lot of push pins. **

**BPOV**

Focus.

No matter how hard I tried, nothing I was seeing was in focus. As if I was trapped in this permanent daze that was threatening to pull me under, never letting me see clearly again.

I sat at a small table in Starbucks, just staring. I didn't even know what I was looking at; I couldn't see it. I couldn't feel anything that would tell me if what I had just experienced was actually real. My heartbeat began racing at the memory of the only thing that was clear to me in my head. The one thing I wanted to erase from my memory completely, so maybe I could escape this daze, this unending state of haziness, but I couldn't and the memory kept surfacing.

Edward, god, it hurt just to think his name and my heart burned at the thought of what it would be like to say it out loud again. He'd done exactly what I had begun trusting he would never do. I thought he had been different, that maybe he loved me in a way someone like Jacob never could. I was so stupid.

The images kept flashing in my mind and they simply wouldn't leave.

_Him_, his lips on hers, his hands on her shoulders, his eyes wide in surprise as he saw me standing in the elevator, his hand gripping my arm… begging me to listen.

"Bella?" I heard my name being called from a distance, but I was still trapped in the haze of unwanted thoughts and memories. "Bella?" I heard it again, but this time I felt pressure on my arm, someone had touched me. I flinched at the weight against my skin and looked up, for the first time being able to focus somewhat on what was in front of me. Her small figure staring at me, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and pain.

"Alice," I said with a sigh of relief.

"Bella, what on earth happened to you?" she asked with concern. Her hand touched my cheek, bringing something that was more like awareness than feeling and I realized that my face was wet. Had I been crying?

I didn't know if I could say it out loud, whether or not the pain of it would pull me back into the haze. My mouth opened and the words came spilling out. "Edward…" the burning sensation filled my chest once again as soon as his name left my lips. "I saw him… he was with… someone else," I said as I began to feel the tears spilling onto my cheeks and my breathing become erratic. "Alice, I can't believe I almost…" I tried to explain as I stopped, not wanting to even consider what I was about to do before I saw them and my silent tears started to become unyielding sobs.

"Shh… shh," Alice said as she rubbed my arm comfortingly, a much different type of comfort from the kind she had given me just a little while ago. "Come on, Bell. Let's get you home," she said as she moved to stand up. I looked up at her, my eyes widening in fear. I couldn't go back there, not where he was. She looked at me, confused at first, before understanding covered her face. "It's okay Bella. I won't let him see you. It will be okay," she said as I nodded my head slowly. I gathered the will to stand and we walked out of the café, her arm wrapped around my shoulder supportively.

As we walked back towards my apartment, I began to panic. How could I stay in my apartment with _him_ right there? The distance was too close for my liking. Once we reached the front door that entered the lobby, I stopped dead in my tracks. I couldn't go in. I began shaking my head back and forth in protest until Alice turned to look at me.

"What is it?" she asked in concern. My mind began racing and I could only manage to say one word.

"Forks."

"Okay, Bella. Let's go home," she said as she started walking towards the door. She stopped when I didn't follow her. "Do you want to come up?" she asked.

"I can't Alice," I said as she nodded and went upstairs, I was guessing to pack us both some clothes. I walked around the building and headed towards my truck, petrified that I would see _him_ there or along the way. I kept looking all around me until I finally reached my truck. I sent Alice a quick text message telling her where I was and I sat in my truck feeling very paranoid. I was just hoping that she wasn't up there for long and that she didn't leave me alone with my thoughts for too long.

I don't know how long I sat in the truck before Alice opened the driver's side door and got in, tossing a duffle bag onto the seat between us. "Come on, Bell. Let's get out of here," she said as she roared the engine to life and sped away from the parking lot and away from the apartment building. Away from _him._

My phone buzzed in my hand and I reluctantly glanced down at the small screen which showed it was _him_. I couldn't talk to him. I couldn't even look at the caller ID for too long without wanting to burst into tears, so I turned the phone off.

Three hours later and we were pulling up to my parents' house in Forks. Alice and I had hardly talked at all during the entire drive, although she tried valiantly. She would ask me questions, sometimes about something meaningless and other times about something involving… _him_. I didn't offer up any information regarding that subject and only gave the bare minimum regarding everything else she asked me.

Renee must have seen or heard my truck pull up because before we had even gotten to the front door, she was coming outside to greet us. "My baby girl is home again. So soon?" she asked excitedly as I tried my best to give her a small smile, but it was probably more like a grimace. "Alice, you too! Oh it's so good to see you!"

Apparently the fact that something was wrong did not occur to my mother until she hugged me and I stood still, not even attempting to return the affection. Instead, I rested my head on her shoulders and started sobbing into the crook of her neck, finally hugging her back. "Oh, mom," I cried without remorse, soaking her shirt with my tears.

"Bella honey, what's wrong? What happened?" she asked as she rubbed small circles on my back. Despite its intent, the actions didn't provide much comfort.

We walked into the house after a moment, with Renee's arm wrapped tightly around my shoulders. "Bella, tell me what happened," my mother said once she had taken my coat off and sat me down on the couch with Alice following closely behind her. I couldn't go through this now, again.

"Can I take a shower first?" I asked, desperate to feel the effects of hot water soothing my skin. Surely the burn of the water would take my mind off of _him._

"Sure sweetie. Anything you need, I'm here for you," my mother said as Alice followed me upstairs to my old room and put our bag on my bed as I went into the bathroom, closing the door tightly behind me as I began stripping off all of my clothes and running the steaming hot water before stepping into the shower.

As I let the hot water pour over my body, my hand came across a slightly rough patch of skin on my hip. I looked down and saw a hickey that Edward had given me last night. I don't know how long I stared at it for before the tears started falling again. I felt my knees buckle and I kneeled on the floor of the small bathtub, tears streaming down my face as I brought my hands up to try and wipe the tears away. Of course, wiping them away just meant new ones could form and it was a vicious cycle. I could hear Alice and my mother talking in the hallway and deciding I had taken way too long, I reluctantly stood up and shut the water off.

I tried to pull myself together as I walked from the bathroom to my bedroom and got dressed in whatever I pulled out of the duffle bag. I looked down and saw that I was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Alice and my mother must have gone downstairs, so I walked down the stairs and found them sitting on the couch looking anxiously towards me. They didn't say anything to me for a moment as I sat down on the couch between them.

Finally, Alice spoke, her voice clearly reluctant to ask me anything. "Bella, can you tell us exactly what happened?"

I took a deep breath before I thought I could trust my voice. "After we talked, I went to the elevator and when I got down to the lobby, I saw them. He was… kissing her," I said as I managed to force back the tears that were starting to blur my vision. "He told me it was nothing and I wouldn't let him explain. Then he…" I said and I couldn't hold the tears back any longer. My lips started trembling and Alice and my mother began rubbing my arms from both sides. "He said he loves me, but I don't know how that can be true. I know what I saw," I sobbed as my mother wrapped her arms gently around me. Her touch was actually somewhat soothing, but it didn't stop the ache that encompassed my heart.

"It's okay honey, shhh," she cooed quietly. We stayed like that until I fell into a restless sleep on the couch.

"_Edward," I said with a laugh as he ran his nose down my neck, tickling me with his breath. I was gripping his hair in my hands and I couldn't see his face._

"_I want you, Bella," he said in a breathy, seductive voice. He began kissing my neck and I moaned in appreciation and arousal._

"_I want you too, Edward," I said, gripping his hair more tightly as his lips moved from my collarbone all the way up behind my ear. His trail of kisses continued on to my face as my grip on his hair loosened, not by choice. I couldn't hold onto it anymore, it wasn't long enough._

_When his lips reached mine, I didn't question him. His tongue entered my mouth and we both moaned at the sensation. "Bella," he said against my lips, but instead his smooth, velvet voice I was used to, he spoke in a deep, husky voice. A voice I recognized, but hadn't heard in a long time._

_I pulled away from him to look at his face, and what my eyes were met with startled me. "Jacob?"_

I woke with a start; sweat beading over every inch of my body. For a moment, I didn't know where I was, until I realized that I was on the couch in my parents' living room in Forks. I went upstairs to my bedroom and saw Alice asleep in my bed so I climbed in next to her and put my arms around her mid section. "Alice," I said with a slight sniffle.

She turned to face me and without question, she hugged me. I fell asleep after that and when I woke the second time, Alice was gone. I looked over at the alarm clock, which read eight o'clock in the morning. _Had I really slept all that time?_ The last time I remembered seeing the time was while I was still on the couch with Alice and Renee and it was eight o'clock last night.

I guess heartbreak can make you lose track of time.

I went downstairs and found Alice and Charlie sitting at the kitchen table while Renee was cooking what smelled like pancakes.

"Morning Bells," my father said warily, my mother must have told him what happened because he seemed nervous to even broach a simple conversation with me. I loved my father, but he was never the best at dealing with any sort of emotional outbursts, especially mine.

"Morning dad," I said as I took a seat in between him and Alice at the kitchen table.

I wasn't hungry and everyone looked at me with concern when I refused the pancakes my mother had offered me and went back upstairs to take another shower. I tried my best to avoid the mark on my hip that I had encountered yesterday, but the memory of how it got there nearly sent me back into the haze.

When I got out of the shower, I overheard Alice on her cell phone.

"I don't know, Jasper. That's all she's telling me. I can't take sides right now, but if I'm forced to, I choose Bella's," Alice said, sounding more than aggravated at her boyfriend. She hung up the phone and I cleared my throat to let her know that I was in the room. "Sheesh, Bella you scared me. I'll be downstairs," she said as she walked past me and closed the door behind her.

I slowly got dressed, my mind now overcome with thoughts of how I was managing to come in between Alice and Jasper. When I walked downstairs, I found Alice on the couch, her knees pulled up to her chest protectively. "Come here for a second, Bell," she said as she patted the couch cushion beside her. I did as she asked and we turned to face each other. "Listen, I know how hurt you are right now. You have every reason in the world to be hurting, but I need to ask you something," she said as she looked at me like she was confirming that I was okay with the direction this conversation was heading. I nodded and she continued. "Are you sure that there's no more to the story than what you saw?"

I flinched at her words. I thought she said she was taking my side? "I told you Alice, that's what I saw. I have no more chances in me to give," I declared angrily.

"I know Bella. You didn't deserve to be put through this once, let alone twice. However, I talked to Jasper this morning and he says that there is more to the story and that Edward has been looking everywhere for you trying to explain," said Alice coolly. I could tell by the tone of her voice that she didn't want it to sound like she was picking sides and I didn't want her to be in the middle of everything, but I couldn't help what I saw.

"I can't hear anymore explanations Alice. I swore to myself that this would never happen again and I let it. I'm so stupid," I said as I put my face in my hands, the tears ready to burst through at any moment.

"I understand that Bella, but you can't blame Edward for what Jacob did," she said as I lifted my face from my hands and looked at her in astonishment.

"I need to go for a walk," I said as I got up, not looking at her. She must have known that I didn't want company, because she didn't follow me.

**EPOV**

I stood on the sidewalk, staring at the broken necklace that lay in my hands, trying to determine if everything was real. How could I have fucked up so badly that my entire world had crumbled before my eyes in a matter of minutes? Someone touched my shoulder, but I didn't look to see who it was until I heard my name.

"Edward?" Tanya said softly. "What is that?" she asked about the necklace in my hands but I just stared at her. I turned away from her and looked to where Bella had gone, but I couldn't see her anymore. It felt like if I stared long enough, she would come back and I could hold her again and life would be complete and whole.

"Edward?" Tanya asked again. This time when I looked at her I could form words.

"Tanya, I can't," I said as I walked away from her and headed towards Jasper's apartment. I needed to know where Bella was and if Alice was there I could talk to her maybe she could convince Bella to see me. I couldn't think about anything else but convincing Bella that I loved her with everything I had.

I walked all the way to Jasper's apartment, which seemed ten times longer that I previously remembered. He buzzed me in and when I got up there, he knew immediately that something was wrong. "What the fuck happened to you man?" he said as I walked inside.

"Is Alice here?" I asked, getting straight to the point and looking around frantically for her.

"No," he said warily.

"Fuck," I said as I dropped down onto his couch and buried my face in my hands. "I screwed up so fucking badly Jasper. Bella broke up with me."

"Alice is supposed to come over later, I'll let you know if she knows anything," he said as he sat down next to me and I pulled out my cell phone. I called Bella, but there was no answer. I wasn't going to stop trying to talk to her. There was no way I was giving up on her or us.

"What happened?" Jasper asked after a moment of uncomfortable silence.

"Fuck. Tanya called me the other day and asked to see me. I didn't want to get Bella worried over nothing since I didn't know what the hell Tanya wanted," I paused for a moment, my stomach filling with regret for not just telling Bella that I was meeting with Tanya. "I saw her for lunch today and she was really fucking upset so I offered to let her freshen up at my place. When we got there, she threw herself at me just as Bella was coming out of the elevator. I don't know what to do Jazz."

"Wow you really did fuck up. I'll talk to Alice later, don't worry man. We'll get everything straightened out," he said as he patted my back. I left his apartment shortly after our talk to see if Bella had come back to the apartment, even though I knew that was not very likely at all.

I called her five times on my way back to my apartment, just praying that she would pick up, but she never did. I followed the path away from the apartment building, hoping that I would see her somewhere. I was out for nearly three hours before I finally relented and went back to my own apartment. I went straight upstairs to her place, just praying that she was there. I stood outside her door and just stared at it. I wasn't even expecting that she would listen to me, even if she was there. I just needed to feel close to her, but that feeling was absent as I tried listening through the door and I heard nothing.

I sunk down to the ground, burying my face in my hands. Nothing existed without Bella. Nothing was good, nothing was real; I felt like I would drown in the nothingness.

I didn't know where she was, she could be anywhere and that thought scared me to no end. I listened for any sign of life in her apartment, but I heard nothing, not even Alice puttering around within the walls of the apartment. I had come down here, hoping to be able to feel her, to be closer to her but now that I'm sitting here, all I feel is more alone.

I have no idea how long I sat outside her door like a fucking stalker, but she never came home. I went down to the parking garage to see if she had taken her truck, then at least I would know she wasn't out wandering the streets. When I got down there, her truck was gone. I called her again but this time her phone went straight to voicemail and I knew she had turned it off. I was so desperate to hear her voice I didn't know what I would do with myself if she never came back. I threw my phone on the cement and watched with no emotion as it shattered into a million pieces.

"Fuck," I said as I put my palms over my eyes and stood there, hating myself even more. If I could have gone back and changed everything I would have. I would have told Bella I loved her on Christmas, over and over I would have told her every single day. I would have told her about my meeting with Tanya and I would have told Tanya about Bella and that I had moved on. I'd made such a mess of everything and I only had myself to blame.

I went back up to my apartment and it took every ounce of energy I had not to punch a hole in the wall. I didn't know what to do with myself; I needed to do _something_. I couldn't sit here and do nothing knowing that Bella hated me. Knowing that she thought I betrayed her. _You did betray her you dumb ass; you lied to her._

I began pacing around the living room and I stumbled upon the music sheets that Bella had given me for Christmas. The pain of knowing how happy we had been just a few days ago, just last night even, took over and I picked them up and shoved them in the closet, slamming the door.

Just then, my phone rang. I picked it up off of the base and saw that it was Jasper. "Did you find out anything?" I asked right away before I gave him a chance to speak.

"Yeah, she's with Alice, but she doesn't want you to know where they are man," he said seriously.

"What the fuck Jasper? Bella doesn't want you to tell me? I need to find her," I said, my voice nearly cracking at the impossibility of this whole situation. I finally had the potential to find her and I couldn't reach it. Punching a hole in the wall was looking better and better.

"Alice doesn't want me to tell you, Edward. She's being loyal to Bella and I am trying to be loyal to my girlfriend and my best friend at the same time, so cut me some slack," said Jasper, the frustration clear in his voice.

I rubbed my hand over my face in annoyance. "She's safe though?" I asked in concern. That was the one thing that I needed to know as long as I couldn't find out where she was.

"Yeah, she's fine. I wish I could tell you more man, but I just can't," he said sadly. I didn't need him feeling bad for me. I knew he was put into a shitty place because of his relationship with Alice, but I wanted to know so much more than he could share.

"I'm trying to understand that, Jasper. I really am. Just… let me know if there are any changes," I said, hoping that he would at least do that for me.

"I'll do my best," he said before he disconnected the line. I felt the impulse to smash the land line as well, but I knew that if I did that, then I would have no way to get in touch with Bella and worse, she would have no way to get in touch with me, if by some miracle she wanted to. God I wanted her to.

**BPOV**

I exited the front door of the house and walked in the direction of town, knowing that if I staggered aimlessly around the woods for hours that I would most definitely get lost.

When I got into town, I walked into a small café and ambled up to the counter. I didn't really know why I stopped in there, but I was tired and thought that maybe a little caffeine would help keep me from passing out on someone's lawn. I ordered a small coffee and sat down at one of the small tables. I found myself staring at nothing again until a hauntingly familiar voice broke through the haze.

"Can I get a medium coffee, baby?" the husky voice said. My mind immediately flashed back to the dream I'd had last night. Jacob. My head shot up to see Jacob standing in front of the counter talking to the girl who was taking his order and taking a lot of his crap too, by the looks of it. "I think you should come out with me when your shift is over."

The girl didn't respond to him, instead just punching his order into the register and telling him how much it cost. As soon as she turned around to make him his coffee, Jacob reach over the counter and grabbed her ass. She turned around angrily, but was interrupted when the manager stepped next to her.

"Sir, I don't take kindly to you treating this young lady that way. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave," he said as he pointed to the door. I couldn't see Jacob's face, but I knew based on our past history he was either being a smug jackass or feigning indifference.

"Whatever man," he said as he turned towards the door. The manager went into the back office and the girl behind the counter began serving the next person in line.

Just as Jacob was about to leave, he saw me at my table next to the door. "Bellie?" he asked. My heart stung at the use of his nickname for me.

I went through the scene I had just witnessed in my head. How could I have compared what Jacob had done to me to what I had seen Edward do? No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't picture Edward doing anything like what I had just seen Jacob do. Edward had apologized after he'd kissed me for the first time because he was afraid he'd been too forward. The thought that Edward could be anything like Jacob was ridiculous.

I just stared at him. Apparently, to Jacob, my silence meant 'please sit down, I want to talk to you.'

"What's up?" he asked once he took the seat across from me. That was it.

"Are you fucking serious Jacob?" I said angrily as I stood up and went to walk out the door, but not before I took the lid off of the cardboard cup I was holding and dumped whatever coffee was left onto his lap.

"What the fuck Bella?" he said as he stood up suddenly. I didn't reply because I wasn't going to waste anymore of my time thinking about him. I was done. I walked out the door and back to the house and when I walked in, Alice jumped me.

"Oh Bella I am so sorry," she said exasperatingly as she threw her arms around me. " I never should have said that."

"It's okay Alice. You were right," I said as she pulled back and looked at me curiously.

"What?"

"You were right. I can't blame Edward for what Jacob did."

"I think you should talk to him Bella," she said seriously. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I still didn't know if I could face Edward right now. The pain was still so fresh in my heart and my soul.

"I don't know if I can, Alice."

"I know, its okay, believe me, this is the first time I've heard you say his name since yesterday. Don't you think it's worth a shot?" she asked. Was it worth something? Was what I had with Edward worth putting myself through this pain again? Then another thing struck me. I'd thought and said Edward's name without feeling that burning sensation I'd felt just twenty-four hours ago. Maybe she was right.

"I need to think about it Al, okay?"

The next day was New Years. I spent it hiding in my room with Alice. We didn't speak for the majority of the night, mostly because I was still thinking about what she had said. Charlie and Renee had gone out to a party, which I insisted they still attend when they had considered staying here with Alice and me. For the first time, I wondered what Edward was doing and I didn't know if that was a good sign or a bad one.

Alice and I spent the next three days in Forks. Most of that time, for me, was spent thinking and debating with myself whether or not I should talk to Edward. I hadn't come to a conclusion yet, but I knew that I had to get back to Seattle eventually, because I couldn't continue to hide out in Forks and from real life any further. So I finally relented and we went back home.

Once Alice and I arrived back to my apartment building, I was getting out of my truck and I smacked my arm on the door, right where the burn was just healing. "Ouch," I said as I reached to touch it. I didn't need to keep it covered anymore and the image of it reminded me how it had gotten there. It also reminded me of who took care of it. I realized then that I needed to hear what Edward had to say, maybe he did deserve that much.

"Alice," I said as we were heading up the elevator.

"Yeah Bell?"

"Once we get to the third floor, I'm going to keep going up," I said as her eyes brightened slightly because she knew what I meant. Alice knew I was going to go talk to Edward and I had to know now if I was doing the right thing.

"Are you sure Bella? You don't have to," she reminded me as the elevator doors opened and she stepped out tentatively.

"I'm sure."

When I reached the sixth floor I went to Edward's apartment and knocked on the door. But he didn't answer. I thought that maybe he was at the hospital and that I should get over there before I chickened out and changed my mind. I ran to the elevator again and ran towards my truck in the parking lot once I was outside. I tried not to think too hard about what I was doing, because maybe if I didn't think too much about it, the possible pain that would follow wouldn't hurt so much.

When I got to the hospital, I went through the automatic doors and asked if Dr. Cullen was there. The woman at the desk pointed to where I might find him and as soon as I looked in that direction, I saw her.

Her long strawberry blonde hair flowed effortlessly and I recognized her immediately. I froze, afraid of what to do next until she saw me. Her face was confused at first, until it was filled with recognition and determination. The sinking feeling in my heart started again and I braced myself for what would happen once she reached where I was standing. She stopped in front of me and spoke.

"Bella?" she said smoothly. I was petrified and I think my legs were shaking. "I'm Tanya," she said simply. I gripped the front desk and then I knew my legs were definitely shaking. "Can we talk?" I pulled myself together; I couldn't fall apart in front of this woman.

"I really don't think that this is the best time to talk," I managed to choke out.

"I think it's important. You need to know that Edward didn't do anything wrong. It was me. I was desperate and confused and I kissed him," she said with determination. My head was swimming with so many different emotions and I didn't know what to say. I just nodded my head in acknowledgement of her words and she continued. "He was trying to tell me about you, but I didn't care. I forced myself on him and he pushed me away. I'm so sorry for the pain that I'm sure I've caused both of you."

I stared at her for a moment. Was she telling the truth? I didn't know, but I did know that I needed to see Edward. I needed to hear it from him.

"I appreciate you talking to me, but I really just need to hear this from Edward," I said quickly. I wasn't offering her any sort of forgiveness because she was to blame for what had happened in the past few days. I mustered up all my confidence and turned on my heel, walking away from her and down the hall. When I reached the room the nurse said he would be in, my heart started pounding. My hand was on the doorknob and I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing.

When I opened them, I saw Edward through the small window that was on the door. He looked so… pale. He looked tired and lifeless. I steadied my breathing as much as I could and pushed the door open.

**EPOV**

New Years Eve was miserable. I spent the entire night alone in the dark in my apartment drinking too many beers to count. All I thought about was what Bella was doing and if she was out having fun, wherever she was. The next morning I woke up with a pounding headache, but it was nothing in comparison to how my heart had been aching for the last two days.

The three days after New Years were the worst fucking torture I'd ever experienced. My phone calls to Bella had been less and less frequent, but I had never given up hope that she would answer, even though her phone was still turned off. All I needed was her to pick up once, giving me some sort of hope. I still didn't know where she was and it was making me sick to my stomach. I'd never felt any pain like this before and Bella was the only one who could make it go away.

I'd hardly slept and I'd been picking up extra shifts at the hospital just to occupy my time. I couldn't stand just sitting in my apartment alone with my thoughts, because they were all about Bella and where she was or who she was with and if she was alright. Not knowing was slowly killing me.

One day in the middle of an afternoon shift, I was in the break room and someone entered. A woman, but not the woman I'd spent every second of every minute of every day thinking about. It was Tanya. I didn't know what to say to her. We'd both done wrong the last time I had seen her and I didn't know whether to be angry with her or to apologize to her. Both emotions, guilt and anger, bubbled to the surface.

"Tanya, I-" I began, but she interrupted me.

"No, Edward," she started, holding up her hand, signaling to me that she wanted to speak. I don't know why, but I let her. "I'm sorry. I should never have pushed myself on you, it was wrong and I know you must be in pain." She said, the silence following her statement echoing in the room.

"Tanya, I should have told you about Bella," I said as I ran my hand through my hair nervously. "Fuck, I should have told Bella that I was meeting with you that day. I screwed up bad," I admitted as the look of pain in Bella's eyes flashed in my mind and I just wished she was here so I could make that pain go away.

"Why didn't you tell me about her Edward?"

"I don't know, Tanya. I think it was because I didn't want to gloat about how happy I was in my relationship when you'd just told me your sister had been killed," I said quietly, my voice no more than a whisper.

"I see. I wouldn't have seen it that way you know, but why didn't you tell her you were meeting with me?" she asked, pure curiousness in her eyes. I laughed ironically at the memory of the conversation Bella and I had at Emmett and Rosalie's wedding and how happy we had been then and how different things might be now if she had known I love her then.

"About a month ago at my brother's wedding, one of Rosalie's bridesmaids told Bella about you and I dating, but I had never mentioned our relationship to her before," I confessed. "She got a little angry and suspicious when I told her that there was no reason for not mentioning you to her in the past, but I managed to convince her that it was true, so when you called me last week, I just didn't want to worry the crap out of her for no reason."

Tanya sat down beside me and hugged my now rigid body. "Oh, Edward. I'm so sorry," she said as she quickly got up from the table.

"That plan sure worked for me, huh?" I managed to say through a thick, hoarse voice. I was fighting back tears as I explained my regret to her. I had been so cautious in my relationship with Bella, never telling her how I felt because I was concerned about rushing her, and it was clearly coming back to bite me in the ass. I should have told her a long time ago that I loved her. I still love her.

"If she loves you like you obviously love her, she'll come back to you. I just wish I could do more to help you. If you need me to explain to her what happened, I will be more than happy to let her know it was all my fault," she said as she walked to the door and her hand gripped the doorknob.

"Thanks for the offer Tanya, but I don't think anything you can say will make anything better. I need to talk to Bella myself and hope that she understands," I said as Tanya nodded her head and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. I sat there for a few more minutes, hoping that I was right and that I could truly get Bella to understand that everything was a misunderstanding of epic proportions.

I ran my hand over my face as I sat down in one of the lounge chairs, trying to relax after what had been a truly hectic morning. An early morning car crash had brought three seriously injured people into the ER and when I had seen one girl with dark brown hair and brown eyes, just like Bella's I suddenly found myself envisioning her on the gurney. One of the other ER doctors sensed my reticence and came over to take over for me, which made me feel completely useless. Surely if Bella didn't take me back life would get easier, wouldn't it?

After a few minutes of silence and no other doctors in the break room, which was a rare occurrence, someone opened the door. I looked up to see who it was, expecting perhaps Dr. Little who had taken over for me earlier in the morning during my temporary lapse and instead I saw her. The second my eyes caught hers, for the first time in days, my heart fluttered with the smallest amount of hope I could wish for.

"Bella?"

**Be sure to go to my profile and check out all the songs I have listed for this chapter and if you have any suggestions, let me know and I will be sure to have a listen. Click that review button and get a sneak peek of Chapter 22!**


	23. The Man Who Can't Be Moved

**I'm only posting this tonight because I love you guys, every single one of you :)**

**Huge thanks to all my lovely reviewers and of course my beta, coldplaywhore (aka Statler to my Waldorf), who seriously made me get goose bumps when I reviewed this chapter.**

**Now unless you have me on author alert, you probably don't know that coldplaywhore and I posted our collab Maybe I'm Falling For You on Sunday, and we will be posting the next chapter this Sunday, if not before :)**

**I don't own Twilight, but I do have a delicious bag of All Natural White Cheddar Cheetos sitting next to me. Yummy.**

**EPOV**

I looked at her, dark circles under her eyes, which I'm sure mirrored the ones that marked my own face and yet she was still the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Bella walked into the room hesitantly, her eyes looking around warily after they had met mine for the briefest of moments.

She looked… scared, like she was afraid if she spoke that this whole moment would shatter. I wanted to hold her, to hug her body so close to mine that I had no room to breathe. I wanted to kiss every inch of her and tell her that it would all be okay, but I couldn't do any of that because I was the one she was afraid of.

"Hi," Bella said softly and my heart broke at the timid tone of her voice.

"Are you okay? Why are you here? In the hospital I mean," I said, the words pouring out endlessly because I was afraid that if I didn't get all my questions in now that I would never get the chance.

"I spoke to Tanya," she said and my heart sunk immediately, because I had no idea if this was a good thing or if it was the one moment that could ruin my entire existence. "And I am here… to see you. Tanya told me what happened but I need to hear it from you."

"I'll tell you anything, Bella," I said in hopes that I could assure her of my feelings for her, because before she knew anything else, she needed to know that I love her. "I need to make this right. I need to fix_ us_."

I got up and walked tentatively towards her. This was my chance, the only chance I would ever get to make things right between us again. I could not afford to mess this up because my entire future was riding on this one conversation that could easily make or break me. "Bella, listen to me, please. I met with Tanya because she asked me to. She called me the day after Christmas and asked if we could have lunch and she sounded really upset so I reluctantly agreed," I said before it was my turn to take a deep breath. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want to worry you for nothing."

"Edward, you could have told me," she interrupted. Her eyes were tainted with sadness and I needed to take it away, because it killed me to see her like this. She looked empty.

"I know that now, Bella. I should have told you. This is entirely my fault." I let out a shaky breath and continued, still standing merely two feet in front of her. "It turned out that her sister had been killed and she just wanted someone to talk to. After we had lunch, I could see that she needed to get cleaned up because she had been crying, so I offered to let her freshen up in my apartment." Silence followed my explanation for a few moments and I couldn't tell if Bella was believing me or not, but I prayed with every fiber of my being that she was.

Finally, Bella broke the silence. "That's why she was there? If she just wanted someone to talk to, Edward why did she call you of all people?" she asked stoically and I assumed this question was the hardest for her to ask.

"I honestly don't know, Bella. Maybe it was because she really doesn't have anyone else or maybe it was because she wanted me back, but Bella, I swear you're the only one I want. Ever," I said confidently as she looked up at me, her wide brown eyes penetrating mine. A single tear rolled down her cheek and I ached to reach up and wipe it away.

"How can I believe you?" she asked, her voice thick with threatening tears.

I stepped towards her further, placing my hands on her shoulders and my heart felt hope for the second time today because she didn't back away from my touch. I looked into her beautiful brown eyes to make sure this was okay before I spoke. "Because, Bella, I love you. I've loved you ever since that day you saved my life on the boat, but I was too afraid to tell you because I was terrified of scaring you away," I said, my gaze still holding hers. "I love you so much."

She was quiet for a moment and I was petrified that she was going to leave me, again. I started to panic as more tears stained her face before she finally spoke. "You've loved me all this time?" she finally asked. I nodded cautiously, hoping against hope that she loved me too. "I can't believe I was so stupid, that I didn't see it," she said quietly, lowering her head and shaking it back and forth.

I wasn't having that; I would not let her feel bad for my mistakes. I lifted her chin with my forefinger, forcing her to look at me again. "Isabella Swan, you listen to me," I began. "I was stupid. I should have told you how I felt a long time ago, so don't for one second blame yourself. Do you hear me?"

She nodded her head slightly before closing her eyes, so I wasn't able to sense how she was feeling. When she opened them, they were shining with happiness and determination. "Edward?" she asked slowly as I let a small glimmer of hope into my heart based on her expression.

"Yes?" I asked warily, but still hopeful.

"I love you too."

The moment the words came out of Bella's mouth was without a doubt the happiest moment of my life. A smile had formed on her delicate face as she spoke and I couldn't believe that she loved me back, even after I'd hurt her. I grabbed her face in my hands and kissed her with as much passion as I could muster. Our tongues collided and even though it had only been days that we had been apart, it felt like it had been far too long since I had tasted her last. I never wanted to go that long without kissing her again.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I hurt you, Bella," I whispered against her lips, I didn't know if I could say it enough. The feel of her lips against mine made my heart swell. Was it just minutes ago that I'd feared I would never again feel her soft, warm lips against mine? I wrapped my arms around her slender torso and moved us until Bella's back was pressed against the wall next to the door.

"Say it again," she mumbled against my lips.

"I'm so-"

"No, not that," she corrected. I smiled against her lips as I realized what she meant.

"I love you," I said as I pulled back slightly and brushed the tear stains from her cheek with my thumb.

"I'm sorry too," she said, looking up so her eyes could meet mine. She looked almost ashamed.

"What are you sorry for, Bella?" I couldn't believe she was apologizing to me after what _I _had done to her.

"I overreacted. I should have let you explain… but I was blaming you for what Jacob did and I should never, _ever_ compare you to him," she confessed remorsefully as she brushed her fingertips along my cheek and my entire body shivered with her gentle touch.

"You would have had no reason to overreact if I had just told you I was meeting with Tanya," I said as I continued to run my thumbs along her cheeks.

"How about we just call it even?" she said with a small grin. I nodded, not dropping her gaze and her lips met mine again. I kissed her everywhere, her lips, her cheeks, her nose, her neck, anywhere my lips could reach.

A few moments later, something was buzzing between us, literally. I rested my forehead against Bella's shoulder and pulled my pager off of my belt. "Shit, I have to go," I said as I looked up at her face. Looking at her now, it was hard to believe how broken she had looked just minutes before when she had walked into the room and found me. Her hand came up and she ran her delicate fingers gently through my disheveled hair.

"Can't you play hooky?" she asked playfully as I noticed a mischievous glint in her eye that made me want to follow her where ever she would lead.

"God, you have no idea how much I wish I could, but I need to finish my shift. I get out of here at six," I said as I reached up and curled a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Wait for me at my place?"

"Of course," she replied simply. I kissed her forehead softly and pulled back to look at her.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Edward," she said as she turned and left the room. I was dizzy. It must have been minutes that I stood there, staring after her before I snapped back into reality by the buzzing of my pager again and I realized that I was a doctor and that someone was in need of my assistance.

I spent the rest of my night at the hospital thinking about Bella, which caused me to bump into everything that was in my general vicinity. When I finally left, just twenty minutes late, I sent Bella a text message letting her know that I would be delayed.

_Making a quick stop on the way home. Be back as soon as I can. –E _

_Fine, but this better be good. –B_

I laughed at her comment but didn't respond. I had a feeling she would appreciate what I came back with.

I drove feeling anxious and at the same time excited, towards Tiffany and Co. The day after Bella left I went to have her necklace fixed, but I haven't had it in me to pick it up, until now that is. I didn't know if I would be able to look at it without seeing it around her neck, but now I knew that's where it would be and I needed to give it back to her.

I walked into the store, unbuttoning my long raincoat and told one of the sales women that I had dropped a necklace off for repair there a few days ago and gave her my name. As I waited for her to come back with Bella's necklace, I spotted some of the other charms that they had, one in particular catching my attention. I knelt down so I could take a closer look at the small gold charm in the window. It was perfect.

"Excuse me?" I said, to no one in particular. A small middle-aged woman, with curly blonde hair, dressed in a black pant suit came to stand across from me from behind the counter.

"What can I help you with dear?" she asked in a friendly tone.

"This charm," I said, pointing to the one I wanted. "Can you engrave this one for me?"

"Sure dear, what would you like it to say?" she asked as she carefully removed the gold charm from the glass case. I stood up as she showed it to me, giving me a better look. I told her what I wanted the charm engraved with and she informed me that it would take about a half hour. I couldn't wait to give Bella the necklace with the new charm; a new necklace with a new meaning.

As I waited for the charm to be finished, I couldn't help but wander over near the engagement rings. I was just browsing when a woman approached me, asking if I needed assistance in choosing a ring.

"Actually, I was just look-"

"What's she like? The girl that makes you so happy," the woman asked. This woman was taller than the woman who was now engraving Bella's charm for me and she had shorter curly hair, about shoulder length. It looked like it was dyed red, because the color looked almost purple.

"Um, well…" I began, not sure about what to do. I hated pushy sales people.

"I bet she's pretty," the woman said and I immediately turned to face her.

"She's beautiful," I corrected. "She's smart, she can make me laugh like it's nobody's business, she's so clumsy it scares me sometimes and she can cook like Julia Child, but without the crazy accent."

"Well, I can see why you would want to marry her," she said. I opened my mouth to correct her, since I had only come in here to pick up Bella's necklace and since we hadn't even discussed marriage. Fuck, I'd just admitted I loved her five hours ago, but as I recalled what I had just told this woman, I realized that I _do_ want to marry Bella. I never wanted another woman besides her. I wanted her and her alone for the rest of my life.

I made a mental note to come back here, very soon. "Thanks, but I don't think we're ready yet," I told her, but inside I was plotting.

When Bella's charm was ready, I paid for it and the repair of the necklace I left. It was just passed seven thirty when I walked into my apartment. I went into the kitchen and saw that she had made soup and it was still sitting on the stove, which thankfully was turned off. There had been enough drama surrounding us for the past few days, I didn't need an apartment fire on top of everything else.

"Bella?" I called out. I moved into the bedroom and found her lying on my bed, fast asleep. I smiled at her sleeping figure and walked towards the bed, sitting next to her and running my hands through her lock brown hair.

Her eyes fluttered for a second before they opened and spotted me above her. "Hey," she said softly and my heart simply soared because after days of worrying, Bella was back and I was never going to let her leave.

**BPOV**

As I walked back to Edward's apartment, I could barely focus on anything around me.

He loves me.

I had been so stupid when I saw him with Tanya; I should have let him explain. I wanted to believe him, so badly it hurt. Letting him explain what had actually happened that fateful day in our apartment building just a few minutes ago and realizing that he really did love me was the hardest thing I had ever done.

When Edward told me that he'd loved me ever since the day of the boat accident, I knew he meant it. I think I knew it all along too, but I had just been too scared to face the truth. Looking back on everything thought I didn't know how I could have ever doubted him. I could see it in his eyes that he was telling me the truth and I wanted nothing more than to let him know that I was in love with him too. Edward had my heart, my soul and my body.

Confessing my love to Edward and hearing him confess that he loved me too was the most freeing thing I had ever felt. Telling him that I loved him felt so right, like he was the only man who could ever have my heart and I was certain that this was the absolute truth. There was no one else who would ever hold my heart the way Edward did.

When I finally got back to my apartment, I ran in and saw Alice sitting on the couch, looking as if she would jump out of the seat at any second. "What happened?" she asked anxiously when she saw me come through the door.

"He loves me," I said simply.

"And…?" she said with an annoyed voice.

"I love him too," I said excitedly as I sauntered enthusiastically over to the couch and sat down beside her. I explained everything that had just happened between Edward and me at the hospital. I told her that the woman I had seen Edward with was his ex-girlfriend Tanya and how she had explained everything to me and how I had let Edward explain his side of the story. I explained to Alice that we'd admitted we loved each other and that I was on my way up to his apartment to wait for him until he got home in a few hours.

"Oh Bella! I'm so happy for you. Edward is just so right for you," she said as she hugged me fiercely and I nodded my head because I was certain she was right.

"I know, Al. He and I were both pretty big idiots about the whole thing," I admitted stupidly as Alice let go of me and I decided that I should take a shower before I went upstairs to wait for Edward.

I got out of the shower and put on my black lace bra and panty set, just in case, with my yoga pants and a camisole. I went upstairs and immediately started putting together ingredients for Chicken Noodle soup. I knew it was Edward's favorite and loved how he always had the ingredients in stock for me.

By the time the soup was finished and I had turned off the stove, it was almost six o'clock and I couldn't help but feel excited because I knew Edward would be getting out of the hospital any minute now. I went into his bedroom for the first time in what felt like ages and lay down on his bed, inhaling his scent, which was strong through the pillows and blankets. As I lay there, missing him something fierce, my cell phone buzzed.

_Making a quick stop on the way home. Be back as soon as I can. –E _

I wondered what he could possibly be stopping on the way home for but decided that it was probably important enough to sidetrack him so I sent him a text message back jokingly.

_Fine, but this better be good. –B_

I must have fallen asleep shortly after that, because the next thing I remembered was Edward sitting next to me, running his hands through my hair. He really did have the most beautiful face I had ever seen.

"Hey," I whispered quietly.

"Hey beautiful," he whispered back as I sat up and kissed him softly on the lips. When I pulled away from him, I noticed he was holding a small gift bag.

"What's that?" I asked, nodding my head towards the bag.

"For you," he said as he handed me the box and I looked at him incredulously. I hope he didn't think that every time we fought he had to bring me a gift. I took the bag and lifted the small blue box from inside and gasped, realizing what it probably was.

I untied the bow and lifted the top off of the box, finding myself overwhelmed with a strange sense of déjà vu. I saw the necklace, my necklace that Edward had given me for Christmas and lifted it out of the box, but there was something different. There was a third charm, a sailboat. I fingered the charm and looked at Edward, who was beaming with excitement.

"Turn it around. I had it engraved." I did as he said and saw in tiny letters, on the back of the sail, 'forever' was written in delicate script.

"Oh, Edward," I said as the silent tears fell down my face. He lifted my head with his hand so he could look me in the eye.

"Don't cry baby," he whispered, wiping away my tears for the second time that day.

"They're happy tears. Edward this is… here," I said as I handed the necklace to him and lifted my hair so he could put it on me. It would never come off again.

"I mean it, Bella. Forever," he said simply.

"I love you," I said as I enveloped my lips in his. He lay back until we were both lying down with my body on top of his.

"Don't leave me again," he said breathlessly against my lips. I could hear the worry in his voice as he spoke, clearly concerned that I could run again if something were to happen to us. Of course, now that I knew I was madly in love with him, I realized I could never leave.

"Never," I replied assertively as Edward wrapped his arms around me and rolled us over so that I was on my back, his body hovering above mine. He kissed me everywhere, my cheeks, my forehead, my neck and my lips. I shifted my hips up to meet his, my eager body desperately needing to feel our connection again. Edward's lips found mine again and he nibbled gently on my bottom lip before I opened my mouth slightly and we connected again, our tongues languidly exploring each other as though it was the first time.

Edward sat up so that he was on his knees, in between my legs and peeled my pants off, revealing my sexy lace panties. I sat up and began unbuttoning his dress shirt ever so slowly, wanting to prolong this moment for as long as I could. When I undid each button, I would lean forward and kiss his chest, reveling in the feeling of his skin beneath my lips.

I then sat up onto my knees, facing him as I slid his shirt slowly down his arms and onto the floor. When Edward was finally shirtless before me, my lips moved gently along his collarbones and shoulders, making him shiver. My lips were gliding slowly down his chest to his nipples, which I pulled eagerly into my mouth and ran my tongue along teasingly. Edward hissed in appreciation and I felt myself growing wetter as he began to lose control.

There was no haste between us, no rushing or frantic removal of clothing. We had all the time in the world together and I wanted to take my time with him. I wanted to worship him as he had so often done with me in the past. I had thought at the time that we were simply having sex, but I now knew without a doubt that we had been making love.

We wrapped our arms around each other and just held each other for a few moments, appreciating the closeness and the joy that we both felt whenever we were together. Edward tenderly moved his hands underneath my camisole and gently slid it up as I lifted my arms so he could take it off of me. My hair fell slowly around my shoulders as he removed the shirt and Edward casually reached behind me to unclasp my bra, his fingers dancing along my arms as he pulled the offending garment away from my body. Once I was bare for him Edward bent forward to place small kisses around my breasts, which he now cupped softly in his hands. The movement of his tongue around my nipple was sheer torture and I moaned out quietly as he bit down on one while pinching the other. It was heavenly.

Edward wrapped his arm around my waist, holding my lower back as he pressed forward against my bare chest, laying us down onto the soft comfort of his bed. He seductively pressed his lips to mine again, tracing the outline of my mouth with his tongue before finding purchase on my lips. I could feel his hard cock pressed against the inside of my thigh and in a move of desperation I reached down and pulled on the waist of his pants. I began slowly unbuckling his belt and furiously slid his pants off of his body, pulling them off with my feet once they reached his ankles. Edward was left in only his boxer shorts and I involuntarily licked my lips as I slipped my hand inside his boxers and began stroking his aching dick with the tips of my fingers.

"Bella," he moaned against my lips before he leaned forward and began sucking furiously on my neck. I moaned at the sensations his lips were bringing me and I let go of his length as I hurriedly pulled his boxers off his body.

Edward sat up, kneeling between my legs and stared at me hungrily. "Are you alright?" I asked tentatively as he began nodding his head quickly.

"You are so unbelievable beautiful," he said quietly as he hooked his fingers into the waistband of my lace panties and tugged them oh so slowly down my legs. Edward was taking his time, acting like he was unwrapping the world's most precious gift and my heart skipped a beat when I saw him looking at me, bare naked and desperate for him.

Edward moved his hands slowly up and down the inside of my bare thighs, goose bumps breaking out across my body from his touch. He kissed several tiny spots on my stomach before reaching behind us to the nightstand and I knew what he was reaching for, but I stopped him.

"No, don't," I said as I grabbed his arm, pulling it back towards us. I intertwined our fingers together and gently kissed his palm. "I want to feel all of you. Every single beautiful inch. I'm yours forever, never forget that."

In a flash of time that seemed to last entirely too long, Edward repositioned himself back on top of me. His body was firmly pressed against mine as he held my hip in his hand and leaned forward to whisper in my ear. "That was one of the sexiest things I've ever heard you say," he told me as he slowly slid his throbbing cock inside of me. "I'm yours forever."

Edward was still for a moment, our bodies completely connected and I reached up and placed my hand on his face, stroking my thumb gently against his cheek. He leaned into my touch and turned his head to kiss my palm sweetly before he began moving inside of me.

"Oh my god, Edward," I said as I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him in deeper. With each thrust I moaned out in ecstasy and I realized I would never be able to feel like this with anyone else, ever. I reached up and ran my fingers lovingly through his hair and kissed his forehead. For the first time, I finally let myself feel the love he was conveying to me through his actions. I let him make love to me, soft, slow and gentle.

"I love you, Bella," he said as he enveloped my lips into a deep, passionate kiss. "I love you so much."

I closed my eyes and moaned in pleasure at his words, finally unraveling around him, in his arms. The coil inside me tightened and released in a glow of bright light that I had never seen before in all the time we had been together. My body shook underneath him in release as he too came undone and spilled inside me.

"I love you too, Edward," I said once our labored breathing slowed and he laid his head on my chest. He rolled off of me and kissed my shoulder as I wrapped my arms around him, unwilling to allow the offensive space between us and rested my head on his shoulder.

We sat in silence for a few moments before Edward finally spoke. "What do you think about going to Forks for a few days? You know, get away from the city for a while."

I sat up and looked at him, realizing that he hadn't known where I was for the past five days. I giggled slightly and covered my mouth with my hand. "I was just there, Edward," I said, sounding serious now. "I stayed with my parents while…." I drifted off, not wanting to remember the time we had spent apart.

"Oh, alright then. That's probably for the best anyway, because there is no way I'm going another night of my life without making love to you and doing it in my parents' house probably won't be as easy more than once," he said with a laugh and I joined him. Our laughter died down and he was serious the next time he spoke. "Bella?" he asked, sounding a little nervous.

"What is it?" I said as I began playing with the necklace he had given me and my body remained tangled around his, my right leg now draped over both of his legs.

"I'm not in any way questioning your motives, but can I ask what made you come and see me today?" he asked quietly. I remembered seeing Jacob in the café and I knew that was the biggest part of my decision to go see him.

I took a deep breath before I spoke. "I saw Jacob while I was home."

"What?" he asked, sounding a little angry. I nodded my head slowly and he let me continue.

"I was in a café in Forks and I saw him hit on the girl behind the counter, he even grabbed her ass," I said in disgust. "Then when the manager kicked him out, he spotted me before he walked out the door. He basically forgot what had just happened and sat down at my table as if we had no history whatsoever," a small smile graced my lips as I realized that I could talk about Jacob without feeling sadness or pain. In fact, retelling this story now I noticed that it was actually pretty funny. "So I got up and poured my coffee all over his lap and left him there," I said with a snicker.

Edward joined me in laughter again, his dour face instantly gone. "Good. I'm proud of you," he said sternly as he squeezed me tighter. "I wish I had been there to kick his ass for you, but that probably would have pissed you off since you are always insisting that you don't need to be taken care of."

I sat up once again so I could look at him. "I wouldn't mind if you took care of me; just as long as you do it within reason. Kicking Jacob's ass would definitely be within reason," I said as I laughed cheerfully again and Edward kissed my temple sweetly.

"Well, I'm glad that you feel that way, Bella. I'll always be here to take care of you."

**P.S. Since I know you will all probably ask, no babies... well not yet :) Now click that tiny review button, that green one there, and get a sneak peek of Chapter 23.**


	24. You Make It Real

**Sorry, this is going to be one mofo lengthy A/N….**

**Can anyone say FINALLY? I know I sure as hell can. I had a bit of trouble writing this chapter, and I know that as soon as you read it you're going to think 'WTF why?' I have no answer, but here it is, so you all better enjoy it :)**

**Big thanks to my awesome beta, coldplaywhore, who managed not to punch me through the computer screen through all of my bitching about this chapter. Also big thanks to kikikinz for keeping me sane this week as well, love ya lady!**

**I also forgot to mention in the last chapter that the title was a song entitled 'The Man Who Can't Be Moved' by an Irish band called The Script. I know some of you were wondering what the hell was up with the chapter title, and the answer to that question is in the song, to which you can find on my profile along with the links to the songs from this chapter and the links to Bella's charms!**

**GAH! One more thing. My fucktabluous ladies, coldplaywhore and kikikinz are running a one-shot contest under the name kikiwhore for all things Esme. ENTER! Pair Esme with Carlisle, Jasper, Jessica. Anyone you like. Go crazy and show Esme some love!**

**I don't own Twilight, but I do have an awesome beta who called me during the Joshua Radin concert last night so I could hear one of my favorite songs :)**

**BPOV**

I squeezed the warm body next to me as I felt Edward stir beside me. "Shhh, I need to shower, baby. I'll be right back," he whispered softly as he tried to slide out from beside me and kissed my forehead. I squeezed him even tighter as I tried not to let him leave. I knew he probably had work, but once you confess your endless love to someone, you kind of don't want them to leave your side… or your bed.

"Mmmm, don't go," I said sleepily. "What time is it?" I opened my eyes and I could see a small amount of sunlight coming through the window.

"Just before seven, you should go back to sleep," he told me as a small grin graced his perfect face.

I shook my head slowly. "Nope, not without you," I announced as I sat up and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me close to his side. I leaned into his bare chest and breathed in his scent as he then rested his cheek on the top of my head and rubbed my arm gently. I contemplated asking him to pinch me, afraid that everything that had happened since yesterday afternoon would turn out to be a dream. Edward chuckled, lightly shaking the bed as I turned my head to face him and kissed him softly on the lips.

"I'll be back tonight. No later than ten I promise," he said once he reluctantly pulled his lips from mine.

"Good. I'll cook you something for when you come home."

"God, I know it's only been less than a week, but fuck I've missed your cooking," he said as I giggled into his side. "Come on, get up. If you won't let me go then you're coming with me," he said as he grabbed my arm and pulled me gently, moving off the bed.

"That works for me," I said as I hopped off the bed excitedly and walked with him towards the bathroom. Edward ran the water until it warmed up before we both stepped into the shower. We both let the hot stream of water run over our bodies before I grabbed the shampoo and squirted some into my hand. I stood on my tiptoes so I could reach Edward's head and began massaging his scalp.

"You'd look sexy as the devil," I said with a giggle as I played with his hair, using the suds from the shampoo so it looked like he had horns.

"So does that make you my fallen angel?" he asked with a hint of seduction in his voice. I patted him lightly on the chest and moved his head under the water instead of answering his question.

"My turn," I said once his hair was rinsed. He grabbed the shampoo and washed my long hair, running his fingers through it. Once we were rinsed and thoroughly clean, Edward stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist and handing one to me.

After we dried ourselves off and got dressed, Edward in his dress pants and collared shirt and me in an old pair of his Dartmouth sweats and my camisole from last night, I had just enough time to cook him some eggs before he had to leave for the hospital. "Any special requests for tonight?" I asked him with a wink. His eyes widened for a moment. "For dinner I mean," I clarified.

"Bella, you don't even have to cook for me. Just be here and I'll be happy," he said as I leaned over and kissed him softly.

"I love cooking for you," I said happily because it was the truth. I loved watching him eat the food I made for him.

"What time is it?" he asked once he was finished eating.

"Seven-thirty."

"Shit, I gotta go. If you're not here when I get back I'm going to be very put out," he said with an evil smirk.

"Where else would I be?" I said as I gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, grabbing his overcoat and walking him to the door. He kissed me once more before leaving the apartment and I headed into the kitchen to clean up the dishes from breakfast.

Not a minute after he had left, Edward came bounding back into the apartment. He found me in the kitchen, tossing his briefcase onto the floor. "What's wr…"

I was cut off when he grabbed me, wrapping his strong arms around my waist and crushing his lips to mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood on my toes slightly so he didn't have to bend down so far. I felt his tongue press against my lips and I eagerly opened my mouth, wanting to feel his tongue against mine. Once I could no longer breathe, I reluctantly pulled away from him. "What was that for?" I asked breathlessly.

"I forgot to say I love you," he said sweetly with a small smile. I bounced back onto my tiptoes and kissed him with a newfound fervor and I ran my fingers through his hair as I once again felt his tongue dancing with mine. I really did love him with all my heart.

"I love you too," I said once I pulled away from him again. He gave me one last kiss and released his hold on me, grabbing his briefcase and waking out the door again. I stood there, in the middle of his kitchen for a minute, just smiling like an idiot. I couldn't believe I had nearly given up on Edward and I shuddered to think of what would have happened or where I would be right now if I hadn't gone to see him at the hospital yesterday. I shook my head, escaping the thought and I was just happy that I had him back and that he really did love me. I finished cleaning up and headed into Edward's bedroom to gather up our discarded clothes from last night. I sat down on the bed, clutching Edward's shirt and as I yawned, I lay down with it still in my hands and fell asleep.

When I woke up, I looked over at the clock and saw that it was just after ten-thirty. I sat up and picked up all of our clothes from the floor and actually threw them into the wash this time. I went back into the kitchen and saw the untouched chicken noodle soup that I had made last night. I lifted the top and decided that it would be good enough to eat tonight, so I put it right in the refrigerator.

Once the laundry was done, I headed back up to my apartment to see what Alice was up to. When I walked in she was in the shower, so I plopped myself down onto the couch and explored the wonderful world of television. I must have flipped through the channels three times before I gave up and decided that there was nothing good on before Alice came out into the living room.

"Oh Bella! How did it go last night?" she chirped as she sat down next to me on the couch.

"Alice, I can't even describe it. It was just… wonderful," I said as I clutched the charms on my necklace, remembering last night.

"Oh let me see!" she said as she gestured to the pendants. I let her take a hold of them and watched her expression as she took in the new meaning of the new sailboat charm. "Oh. My. God. Bella, this is officially the sweetest gift ever," she said as she looked up at me with a smile.

"I know, Al. I can't believe I almost let him go."

"Well, let's just be happy everything is back to the way it should be," she said seriously. "Now, I wanted to go shopping and pick up a few things I need to move into Jazz's place and I was hoping you would come with me."

"Sure, Alice. Just let me put some real clothes on and we can go whenever," I said as I got up from the couch and headed into my bedroom and dressed in plain jeans and plaid hoodie. When I came back out, Alice was ready and raring to go standing by the door.

We ended up going to Target where Alice picked out a new bed set, because apparently Jasper's was absolutely hideous. While we were there, she also picked out a full-length mirror, a new shower curtain and a shoe rack. I just shrugged and nodded the entire time. We left Target and went to Chipotle for lunch where we both enjoyed a Chicken Burrito. Once we were finished with our lunch we just decided to window shop.

As Alice and I walked the city streets, we nearly bypassed Frederick's of Hollywood before she dragged me inside. "Al, what are we doing in here?" I whined.

"You and Edward just got back together, Bella. You should to do something special for him," she said with an evil grin. "Now here, try this one on," she said as she handed me a naughty nurse costume. _This might actually be fun,_ I thought to myself as I relented, but tried not to give Alice the upper hand. If she knew I was even remotely excited, she would force me to buy out half the store.

I sauntered into the dressing room and tried on the costume, deciding once it was on that it actually didn't look half bad. It was a skin-tight dress with a red cross across the chest that showed off half of my modest breasts, ending on my upper thigh and had off shoulder sleeves with small ruffles on the trim and it came with a nurse's hat. However, I was still nervous about wearing it for Edward because I'd never done anything this risqué before and I had no idea how to go about it.

Just as I was finished changing back into my clothes, my cell phone rang. It was Edward. "Hey sexy," I answered.

"Hey baby."

"What are you doing?" I asked curiously, normally he only called me if he needed to tell me something or if we were making last minute plans.

"Um, getting my arm stitched up actually," he said reluctantly. Panic surged through me immediately, but after a few seconds I realized that he must be fine if he had been able to call me. So, I managed to relax minutely, but I still needed to know if he was okay.

"Oh my god. Are you okay? What happened?" I asked and heard him hiss in the background. I tried to erase the image in my mind of him being stitched as we spoke, because that was just creepy.

"Yeah, some crazed patient got a hold of a scalpel," he said coolly as all sorts of images began to run through my mind, most likely because I watched way too much ER growing up. "I'm alright though. Nothing a few stitches and a kiss from you won't fix."

"Oh my god. Well, I'm glad you are okay, but I've got to go. I'm out shopping with Alice and we're about to check out. I hope you're feeling a little better by the time you get home," I said sweetly.

"I was hoping you would take care of me," he said and I swear there was a hint of seduction in the way he said it. This filled my head with all sorts of things I could do, all of which had to do with the nurse's outfit Alice had picked out.

"Oh I will, don't you worry. I'll see you in…" I looked down at my watch and saw that it was already two in the afternoon. "Crap, a whole eight hours. I miss you. I love you," I said, still reveling in how much I loved saying those three words to him.

"I miss you too. I love you, Bella," he said before he hung up. I smiled as I shut my phone and the cashier called next in line. Alice and I stepped up and I paid for my costume and she bought a couple sets of bras and panties along with a cute babydoll.

"You two are so cute now that you've gotten your heads pulled out of your asses," Alice said with a snicker.

"Yeah, I know," I said smugly as we paid for our purchases and headed back to my apartment.

Once we were there, since Edward wasn't feeling well, I finalized my plan to use the naughty nurse outfit that night. I smiled to myself and started planning all of the things that I wanted to do to him tonight, knowing damn well that he was in for it when he got home. I cleaned my entire apartment because since Alice had been staying here, it wasn't exactly neat. Not that I kept it neat before, but two people were unquestionably messier than one. When I was finished, my phone rang, the caller ID announced that it was my mother.

"Hey mom," I answered happily.

"Bella? How are you sweetie?" she asked, her voice sounding sympathetic. It then hit me that my mother had no idea what had happened in the past twenty four hours. She probably thought I was sitting in my bedroom eating pints of ice cream and wallowing in my self-inflicted depression.

"Oh my god, mom. I'm so sorry I didn't call you. I talked to Edward yesterday," I said with a smile, which she could probably hear in my voice.

"Oh and how did that go?" she asked, most likely trying to sound objective, but not really succeeding. She sounded concerned instead.

"He explained everything," I began as I told her the story about Tanya and that although Edward had lied to me about meeting with her; he was only trying to do the right thing by both of us. Renee seemed to accept my explanation and told me how happy she was for me and she actually sounded sincere. I just hoped my father would be as understanding.

A couple hours later I headed up to Edward's apartment and started getting ready, seeing as he was supposed to be home before ten. I showered and did my makeup as best I could, putting my hair up in a high ponytail. I slipped on the nurse costume and the hat and waited patiently for Edward to arrive.

**EPOV**

The moment I left my apartment this morning, I started counting down the minutes until I was back in there with Bella in my arms. I couldn't believe that last night had actually happened, it seemed too good to be anything but a fucking dream, but when I woke up, she was there next to me. I couldn't believe that I almost lost her to my own stupidity, but I was going to do everything I could to make sure it never happened again.

My day was going along relatively smoothly until about two o'clock when a homeless guy came into the ER complaining of stomach pains. The nurses and I tried to deal with him as calmly as possible, because we knew the drill. Then man was probably fine, just looking for a warm bed to spend the night, which unfortunately we didn't have to spare. When one of the nurses told him to have a seat in the waiting area, he continued screaming and yelling at her, complaining that it was an emergency. When I intervened, he ran behind the nurses' station and grabbed a scalpel, trying to use it to threaten the nurse. I managed to get a hold of him before he touched her, but in the process of prying the scalpel out of his hand, he made a long cut on my arm. I reluctantly called Bella to tell her, only because I knew she would be upset if I came home bandaged and I hadn't told her why.

I practically skipped home like a fucking girl because I was so excited to get home to Bella. I even ran up all six flights of stairs because I knew it would take less time than the elevator. I burst through the apartment door, almost leaving the key in the lock and forgetting to close it. "Bella?" I called once I didn't find her in the kitchen or the living room. My heart sunk for a moment as I realized that she might not actually be here and then I began to worry that something had happened to her. "Bella?" I called again.

"In here," I heard her call out from the bedroom. The door was slightly open, so I pushed it open further to see Bella sitting on the bed looking like sex on legs. She was dressed in a fucking erotic looking nurse outfit that barely covered any of her legs or breasts. I wanted to rip it off her.

"Fuck, Bella what are you wearing?" I asked huskily as my dick instantly hardened and I rushed over to her as quickly as I could and kneeled in between her legs, placing my hands on her hips, slowly sliding them around to cup her ass.

Bella shook her head at me. "No, you don't," she said firmly, grabbing my arms to stop them from reaching her luscious ass. Bella stood up and I stood with her as she turned around so that my back was now facing the bed and pushed me down onto it gently. "It looks like you need someone to take care of you, Dr. Cullen," she said as she moved to straddle my hips, my hard cock now pressing against the inside of her thigh.

"Do I?" I asked, looking her right in the eye and desperately trying not to stare at her breasts, which were practically spilling out of her dress.

"I think you do," she said seductively as she unbuttoned my shirt ever so slowly, pushing it from my arms before gently holding my bandaged arm in her hands. "Does it hurt?" she asked innocently, which ironically made it incredibly sexy.

"Not so much anymore," I said, gesturing towards her hands holding my arm.

"What about now?" she asked as she moved her lips down and kissed the bandage on my arm. I saw her lips moving along the bandage and I wanted nothing more than to pull her up to me and kiss her senseless.

"Up a little bit more," I said as her trail of kisses began moving further up my arm. "Higher," I said when her lips reached the end of the bandage right before the crease of my elbow. She moved up all the way until she reached my collarbone. "A little higher," I instructed until her mouth reached my jaw. I gently took her face in my hands and kissed her gently, but fiercely. Bella pulled away just as her hands began fisting into my hair.

"Excuse me Dr. Cullen, but I'm not quite finished with you yet," Bella said as she climbed off my lap and crawled further onto the bed behind me, tugging on my good arm gently, signaling to me that she wanted me to scoot back on the bed. We moved back until we were in the middle of my bed and she began massaging my back. She began trailing kisses down my back, then trailing up to my shoulders, where she continued to place soft, open mouthed kisses there. "Does this feel good Dr. Cullen?" Bella asked as she seductively slid her hands down my chest, toying with both of my nipples.

"Yes," I said, my voice faltering with anticipation.

"What was that?" she asked fiercely as she pinched my nipples even harder.

"Fuck yes," I groaned out in pleasure. I really wanted nothing more than to have her on me again. "Do I get the full treatment now, Nurse Bella?"

"Let's see if you're ready first," Bella said as she moved her hand down even further and began rubbing my aching hard on through my pants. I moaned her name at the sensation as she flicked her tongue out right behind my ear. "I'm not sure, Dr. Cullen. I think I may have to see for myself," she said as she moved her hands off me. "Lay down," she instructed as she moved out from behind me. I did as she said and before I knew it, Bella was tugging my pants and my boxers from my eager body, releasing my cock from its confines.

Bella licked her lips as she stared at my length and she kneeled on the bed. Before I knew it, her mouth was wrapped around me and I was groaning in pleasure. Her tongue swirled around the head before her entire mouth pulled off me. "Hmm… I'm not quite sure. I think I need a second examination," she uttered before she lowered her mouth on my length again, sucking it harder this time.

"Oh fuck," I growled as I watched her bob her head up and down on my cock, the sensation she was providing me with felt so fucking amazing I kinda wished she would never stop.

"I think you're ready, but I think I need some help from you, Dr. Cullen," she said with a grin as she reached behind us to her nightstand and pulled out a condom.

"Anything Nurse Bella," I said, still in a daze after feeling her mouth wrapped around me. Bella tore open the foil package and rolled it onto my length before she spoke again.

"Can you check to see if I'm ready for you?" her words caught me off guard and before I even realized what I was doing, I had Bella flipped onto her back, gripping her ass tightly in one hand and taking the hat off of her head and flinging it across the room behind us with the other.

"I'll make sure you're more than ready," I growled as I moved my head lower to the hem of her tiny outfit, sliding it up a little further until she was completely exposed to me. I moaned when I saw that she wasn't wearing any panties and dove right in, my tongue making one long sweep along her slit.

"Edward," Bella moaned my name in pleasure as my tongue flicked her clit, causing her to writhe beneath me. I removed a hand from Bella's hips and slid a finger slowly inside of her heat.

"Oh, I don't think you're quite ready for me yet, Nurse Bella," I said quietly as I suddenly began sucking on her clit, adding another finger inside of her and began pumping them in and out. I felt Bella's hands fist into my hair and she moaned my name over and over, which only spurred me on. I curled my fingers upward and sucked hard on her clit as I was rewarded with a scream of my name and a flow of Bella's juices onto my fingers as she writhed beneath me. "Now I think you're ready for me," I said as I looked up at her hooded eyes and kissed her forcefully.

"Yes," she whimpered against my lips. I smiled slightly at the idea that I had made her lose control like this. I slid my hands over her ass, pulling the small excuse for a dress up and off her body. I pulled the tie from her hair, letting it fall in those gorgeous curls over her shoulders and down her back.

"What did you say Nurse Bella? I couldn't quite hear you," I said as I positioned myself right at her entrance, teasing her until I got what I wanted.

"Fuck, yes. I want you inside me," she practically screamed out, my eyes widened at her boldness as I slid inside her. I hummed at the tightness of her around me and began slowly moving in and out, relishing the moment with her.

Bella's hips began moving up to meet mine, so I sat back on my knees as I was still buried inside of her and brought her up into my lap, the insides of her thighs on either side of mine. "Ride me, Bella," I whispered in her ear.

Bella wrapped her hands around my back and began moving up and down on me slowly as I began moving my hips up to meet hers. I mimicked her movement and wrapped my arms around her. This was the most intimate position we had ever been in and I wanted it to last, however, my burning thighs had a different idea. When I could no longer move my hips against hers, I leaned back so that I was lying down and Bella was on top of me.

Bella began moving up and down my cock with more force that I can ever remember her doing previously. I hummed in appreciation as I watched her gorgeous tits bouncing slightly as she rode me. I could feel myself getting close to the edge and I wanted to bring her there with me, so I reached down and began rubbing circles around her clit. "Oh, yes Edward!" she screamed as she began grinding against me with even more vigor.

A few moments later, I felt Bella's muscles tighten around me, bringing on my own release. "Fuck, Bella!" I said as I came deep inside of her.

As we both came down from our high, I tugged on Bella's arm gently and brought her down so her cheek was resting on my head as I began caressing her hair. "Fuck I love you," I said after a moment and we both laughed.

"Alice made me buy that outfit, so when you called and told me what happened to your arm I decided to put it to good use," Bella said as she traced small circles on my chest. Her head suddenly snapped up, nearly hitting my chin. "Oh my god, I didn't hurt you, did I?" she asked with concern. I laughed at her way of thinking and shook my head.

"No, Bella, you did anything but hurt me," I said as I kissed her forehead and sat up, pulling her off me momentarily so we were sitting on the edge of the bed. I lifted the covers and Bella slid underneath before I pulled them over myself, leaning back against the pillows as she curled into my side. Her arms wrapped around me as she kissed my chest and let out a yawn.

"I love you, Edward," Bella said sleepily and I could tell that she was already half asleep.

"I love you, too Bella. More than anything," I said as I closed my eyes and drifted into the best sleep I'd ever had, with the exception of the previous night.

I awoke the next morning, feeling the ache in my arm after the pain medication had worn off in the middle of the night, but when I opened my eyes, I was greeted with the most beautiful sight. Bella had her cheek perched on my chest as she watched me sleep. "Morning sleepyhead," she said as she saw my eyes open. I caught a glimpse of her necklace dangling onto my chest and I wished that I could keep her there forever. "How is your arm feeling?"

"It's a little sore, nothing a little Tylenol can't fix," I admitted honestly. Before I could stop her, Bella hopped out of bed and walked into the bathroom, unsurprisingly reappearing with a glass of water and two pills in her hand. She sat back down beside me and watched me take the pills as she rested her head on my shoulder. I twisted my head and kissed the top of her head, as a silent thank you.

"Want some breakfast?" she asked after a short moment of peaceful silence. I reached my hand down, reaching for the promise land before Bella grabbed my hand, stopping me. "I meant food," she said firmly yet giggling at the same time.

I glanced at the clock and saw that it was just before ten in the morning. I didn't have to be at the hospital until later that afternoon and I wanted nothing more than to spend the day here with Bella wrapped around me. "As long as we can eat it here," I said, tapping my hand on the bed.

Bella rolled her eyes at me and kissed my shoulder. "Of course we can, now come on." I got up and put a pair of boxers on and tossed Bella one of my t-shirts.

That was how we spent our entire day; in bed. It was a relief from the hectic schedule we'd had while she had been in school and we both knew it would get worse once she started her new job and night classes once her winter break was over. After our day of bliss, I left slightly early for my shift, telling Bella simply that I needed to be there a half hour earlier than I really needed to, because I had something I needed to do.

After the past few days, I realized that I couldn't let Bella go again, so before my shift I made a stop and walked back into Tiffany's.

**I hope you all enjoyed that. Really, go check out the songs on my profile. There is a particularly gorgeous tune entitled 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You' by Lady Antebellum on there. It's fucking amazing!**

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	25. Follow Through

**Okay guys, I know that these last few chapters have been coming really slowly, but just bear with me. Real life has been kicking me in the ass lately. Sorry for the huge lapse in time, but I needed to get them somewhere important :)**

**Big thanks to my beta coldplaywhore as always and an extra thanks to kikinz for her help with this chapter. Have you guys entered their Esme one-shot contest yet? No? Well you should :) **

**Also, my pal and the lovely writer of Inked and its upcoming sequel 'Marked,' ARenee363 is co-hosting a Halloween contest, Twilight Fright Night featuring Spookward and Boo-Bella so you should enter that one too, I think I might! *evil smirk***

**I don't own Twilight, but I do have a new ear piercings that don't like when I sleep on them.**

**BPOV**

Three months, one week and two days later, it was now mid March and I was packing up my messenger bag after my last class had let out. . The familiar, eerie silence of the empty room and hallways filled my small classroom. I was exhausted and I couldn't wait to get home since Edward would be waiting for me when I got there. He had promised to cook me dinner and I was starving, so I finished packing my bag, making sure I wasn't leaving behind any valuables and ran like the wind for my car.

I had started my job teaching tenth grade English at Franklin High School at the end of January and I absolutely loved it. The kids were of course difficult at times, but it was worth it because I got to do what I loved.

Ever since we had gotten back together three months ago, Edward's and my relationship had been stronger than ever. Our schedules were more hectic, but we somehow managed to make it work, because we loved each other. I could feel our growing closeness and I could never get enough of it. We hardly spent a night apart anymore and neither of us could figure out how we managed to do it, but we did. His schedule at the hospital had not improved, but he was a young doctor and it would be that way for a while. It never bothered me though because he loved what he did and I loved him even more for it.

When I arrived at my apartment – in a record twenty minutes – I opened the door and smelled something delicious. When I placed my bag on the floor by the front door, I walked quietly into the kitchen and _saw_ something even more delicious. Edward was standing over the stove frying… something, but I couldn't take my eyes off of his ass long enough to try and figure it out. His t-shirt wasn't overly tight, but I could still see the contours of his muscles and the particular jeans he was wearing fitted his ass perfectly and I felt the urge to reach out and grab it, but I resisted. I walked behind him and snaked my arms around his waist, kissing his shoulder blade.

"Mmm… whatcha cooking?" I asked as I moved so that my chin was resting on his shoulder. "It smells delicious."

I felt the smile spread across his face against my temple. "Quesadillas," he said before he turned around in my arms, putting his arms around my waist and he bent down to kiss me. "Hey baby," he said just before snaking his tongue into my mouth.

"I missed you, too," I said with a laugh once he pulled away. I let go of him and he turned back to the stove where I saw that he was cooking the chicken in the pan and I breathed in the smell. My man made the best quesadillas I'd ever had. Yum. I went over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of wine I had picked up the day before and poured us each a glass. I handed one to Edward and leaned my hip against the counter, facing him.

"So, how was your day? I don't know how there aren't any horny teenagers following you home," he said as his eyes ran up and down my body. I was wearing a tight pencil skirt with a white blouse and black pumps that Alice had bought me specifically for the job. I didn't really have anything else, so I wore mostly outfits she had picked out for me. He licked his lips and I rolled my eyes to his obvious attempts to flirt with me.

"No, no horny teenagers," I said with a small giggle. "Actually, now that you mention it, one of the male teachers did try to grab my ass as I was walking out to my car…" I said jokingly and Edward's face went blank.

"What?" he asked, his voice seething with anger. He turned and set his wine down on the counter before stalking towards me. He roughly grabbed my ass and pulled me against his now obvious erection.

"No one will touch your ass but me," he growled playfully as he kissed me again and I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry. I take it back," I mumbled against his lips and he squeezed my ass even harder. He pulled away suddenly and took the chicken off the stove, leaving me wanting more. Oh, he'd pay for that later, I thought to myself smugly as I began plotting revenge. I ran into my bedroom quickly and changed into my yoga pants and a t-shirt.

Once everything was ready, Edward and I sat down on a blanket on the floor in my living room and watched a movie as we ate our quesadillas, something we often did now. It was Edward's turn to pick the movie tonight and when he turned the television on, Casablanca came on and I looked at him and smiled.

"Have I ever told you how sexy it is that you love the classics?" I asked him as I moved closer into his side and he put his arm around me.

"I believe you've mentioned it before. You should see what's on the list for next week," he said with a smile and leaned over to kiss my temple. We watched the movie mostly in silence, just holding each other and commenting on our favorite parts, Edward's being the last scene, while mine was the flashbacks of Rick and Ilsa in Paris.

We barely made it to the end of the movie without attacking each other. As soon as it was over, Edward stood up and threw me up onto his shoulder caveman style and ran into my bedroom. The dishes and the television were left and forgotten until the next morning.

When I woke up, I rolled over and discovered that Edward wasn't next to me. I pouted to myself and got up, putting on his t-shirt from the night before and heading out to the kitchen where the smell of coffee was coming from. When I got into the kitchen, the coffee was brewing but Edward was still missing, so I walked even further out into the living room where I found him kneeling down in front of my bag next to the door. He was looking through something that he must have found in there.

"Morning," I said quietly so I didn't scare him, since he obviously didn't know I was standing there. It obviously didn't work, because he jumped slightly at the sound of my voice. He stood rather quickly, dropping whatever it was he was holding back into the bag.

"Hey," he said as he walked towards me and gave me a chaste kiss on the lips. I looked at him incredulously once he pulled away, as if to say 'care to tell me what you were just doing?' He didn't take the hint, so I spelled it out for him.

"Um, what were you doing… in there?" I asked as I waved my hand towards my bag on the floor.

He smiled at me and kissed me again. "Um… nothing. I wasn't doing anything," he said awkwardly, scrunching his eyebrows as he walked away and poured two cups of coffee. I stood there for a moment, completely confused. I had no idea what he could have been doing in there, so I walked over to the bag and found my day planner sticking out slightly. Why was he looking through my day planner? Did he think I was cheating on him? No, he was smiling when I asked him what he had been doing, he couldn't be thinking that. I kept the small book in my hand and walked over to him in the kitchen.

"You were looking through my day planner?" I asked with a puzzled look.

He shrugged. "Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't," he said. There was an awkward moment of silence and then a big fat smile covered his now smug looking face. I didn't know what he was up to and I had a feeling he wasn't going to tell me.

"I hate you," I said as I poured some milk and sugar into my cup of coffee.

"You love me and you know it," Edward said as he grabbed my face in his large hands and kissed me gently yet firmly. I folded my arms across my chest and looked up at him and pouted, sticking my lower lip out and teasing him I'm sure.

"Yup, I do." I stood on my toes and wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him again. He slid his hands under his t-shirt, grazing my bare ass, causing goose bumps to form where his hands had been. His hands moved up further, taking the shirt with them until the bunched up fabric was just below my breasts. I moaned into his mouth before he pulled away and lifted the shirt over my head, leaving me naked before him. "Hey!" I said with a giggle.

"Sorry," Edward said with a shrug. "I have to go get dressed for work," he added and put the shirt on. The smug grin was back and he kissed me once more, not touching any other part of me but my lips. I noticed the bulge in his jeans as he slapped my ass playfully. "You should stay like that until I get back," he commented as he walked past me and out of my apartment. He was really into teasing me lately.

I giggled and went into my bedroom and put my yoga pants and t-shirt back on from the night before and went into the kitchen and finished my coffee. I stared at my day planner the entire time and wracked my brain trying to figure out what he was looking for in there.

**EPOV**

I had to get out of Bella's apartment as soon as possible before I lost it and told her what I had been looking for in her day planner. Why couldn't she have slept just five fucking seconds longer? Now she was suspicious and I knew she wouldn't just let it go, but I wasn't going to give in and tell her what I was planning. I wanted it to be a complete surprise, even though I knew how much she hated surprises, though I had a feeling she would like this one.

I'd been planning this for over a month and I wasn't about to let it get ruined now, even if it was by the woman herself. The idea struck me around Valentine's, but when I couldn't get the place on such short notice, I took a step back and did it right. Hopefully it would go smoothly, but even if it didn't I was sure it would still be memorable.

Luckily, Bella didn't have anything major planned for school or otherwise this weekend, so we were all good to go. All I had to do was convince her to go without having to agree to tell her where we were going. Knowing Bella that was much easier said than done, but I was confident in my ability to do it.

There was mass chaos in the emergency room when I got to the hospital, so I immediately put my scrubs on and headed out to do my job. Hours went by and before I knew it, it was well past ten at night and I had been at the hospital for over twelve hours. I'd talked to Bella only a few times during the day, but I hadn't heard from her since late in the afternoon. I was given the okay to leave, so I took a quick shower and put on my change of clothes and headed home to Bella. I was going to tell her about our little trip tonight, so on my way home I tried to think of a way to do it with the least amount of questioning.

That was not going to be easy.

I walked into my apartment and found Bella watching television and when she turned to see me standing in the doorway taking off my jacket, she leapt off the couch. Unfortunately, she was wearing socks and the combination of that and my hardwood floor did not work very well for Bella. She slipped in her haste and her feet slipped right out from underneath her. I tried to get to her before she landed flat on her ass, but was unsuccessful. She sat there for a moment laughing hysterically. I knelt down in front of her and laughed gently along with her.

"Hey baby. Miss me?" I said with a chuckle. I cupped her face in my hands and leaned in to kiss her softly as she nodded her head. "Are you okay?" I asked once I pulled away.

"Yeah I'm fine, no big deal. Sorry I'm not naked," she said, laughing as I remembered how I'd left her that morning. I stood and helped her up and kissed her cheek once more as soon as she was standing and I was still holding her small hands in mine. "How was your day?" she asked as if nothing had just happened. I sat down with her on the couch and told her about the many escapades that occurred that day at the hospital, which was something we did often. I loved that she seemed to enjoy the stories I came home with, even though she sometime cringed when I went into great detail about some of the injuries and accidents.

After watching TV for a while, I went into my bedroom to change into something comfortable. I turned to make sure Bella wasn't behind me before going into my dresser drawer and pulling out the sock that contained the engagement ring that had been residing there for three months. I took the box out of the sock and opened it, admiring the ring and smiling. I had been planning on proposing to her for three long months and I hoped that the ring would not be sitting in there for much longer. I quickly slid the box back into the sock and stuffed it into the back of the drawer, changed and headed back into the living room to where Bella was.

I decided that now was as good a time as any to tell her about our journey. "So, don't plan anything for this weekend. We're taking a trip," I said stoically as I sat back down on the couch and Bella's head whipped around as she looked at me in confusion.

"What?" she finally asked after a moment of gaping at me. I smiled at her, because she was so fucking sexy, even when she was looking at me all confused like that.

"We're taking a trip," I repeated myself and smirked at her. That was all I was giving away and she glared at me, clearly frustrated by my lack of disclosure to her. I think she knew that I wouldn't tell her more, but I knew that wouldn't stop her from asking.

"But where are we going?" Bella asked, the irritation apparent in her voice. I held back the laugh that was bubbling at my lips because I knew how crazy surprises made her, and I loved it. She was so sexy when she was frustrated with me like this.

"That's for me to know and you to find out… when we get there," I said smugly, a huge grin spreading across my face. There was no way I was revealing the location of where I was taking her, but I was having fun letting her think that she could convince me.

"Fine," she huffed and I couldn't help but notice how sexy she was when she was angry, particularly when she was angry with me. Actually, when I thought about it, there was never a time where I didn't find Bella sexy as hell.

"Good. I'm having Alice pack your bag," I said assertively. She gave me a look of contempt and stuck her tongue out at me, but I just laughed it off as I draped my arm around her shoulder and we continued watching television.

**BPOV**

I was convinced that he was trying to drive me insane by not telling me where the hell he was taking me for the weekend. Well, if that was his mission, he was coming along for the drive and I was going to make him as nuts as he was making me. I couldn't stop thinking about it the entire week. I had no idea what I had been babbling about during my classes at the high school and definitely no idea what my professors were lecturing about during my night classes. Finally, Saturday morning arrived and Edward woke me up at eight o'clock.

He was trying to get killed, wasn't he?

"Come on, beautiful. I made coffee," he said trying to persuade me to get out of bed. I groaned sleepily but finally relented and got up. We were both dressed and out the door just after nine, but apparently that was not quickly enough, because Edward ran from the apartment, dragging me by the hand the entire way to the Volvo.

I was surprised – of course – when Edward pulled up to the Bainbridge Island ferry. A wide smile spread across my face. "Are we going where I think we're going?" I asked excitedly. Of all the horrifying things I had cooked up in my head, this was most definitely not one of them. I never imagined that Edward would be taking me back to that little cottage in Puget Sound, but I wanted to kiss every inch of his body now that I knew that's what he had been planning.

"Yup. I was looking through your day planner last week to make sure you didn't have anything major planned for this weekend," he said. I leaned over the console and kissed him hard. His hands slid around my waist and my life couldn't have gotten any better than it was in that moment.

Once we got the Volvo onto the ferry, it was about a half an hour until we reached Bainbridge Island. It was much cooler now than the last time we had visited, but the salty air was still familiar as I breathed it in. My smile grew even wider once Edward pulled up to the same blue cottage we had stayed in when we had been here in September. I helped him unload our bags from the trunk of the car and we headed inside.

The place hadn't changed a bit, the same cream-colored walls and large black leather sofa in the middle of the living room. Edward and I walked to the back of the house and into the master bedroom where we had stayed the last time we were here. I saw the French doors that opened up to the tub and smiled in reminiscence of the last time we were in there. "So, how long are we staying this time?" I asked as we put our bags down and I sunk down onto the bed next to him.

"The whole weekend," he answered with a grin. I kissed just above his collarbone in response and we sat there for a little while, just enjoying the quiet. "Come on, up you go," Edward said after a few minutes, he stood up and grabbed my hands, pulling me off the bed.

"Where are you taking me Mr. Cullen?"

"That's Dr. Cullen to you," he said as he slapped my ass playfully. "We're going nowhere. I'll run you a bath."

Ohh a bath sounded good. Really good, actually. Considering he had dragged me out so early and it was just past eleven in the morning a bath would be perfect. "That would be wonderful," I said as he reached into his bag and pulled out some bath stuff. Salts or something like that.

Edward grabbed my hand and led me towards the bathroom where he started the water and poured the salts in. He started walking out of the room before I stopped him. "What, you're not joining me?" I asked playfully.

"Did you want me to?" he asked and he looked serious. Did he really think I wouldn't want him with me? I swear the man is the love of my life, but sometimes he just doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.

"Edward, you just surprised me by bringing me back here. Why wouldn't I want you in this tub with me?" I said, pointing to the running water. The steam was rising and I was beginning to get a chill so I really couldn't wait to get into the water. I looked at him expectantly and his expression softened as he pulled his shirt off. "That's what I thought," I said and began peeling my own clothes off.

Edward left the bathroom for a moment and came back with some body wash which he placed at the edge of the tub before climbing in. I stepped in after I had pulled my hair up into a clip and slid in front of Edward with my back resting against his chest.

"I'm getting some serious déjà vu," he said as he curled a stray hair behind my ear and kissed the spot just below my ear. I relaxed my body completely against him as his lips made a trail down my neck and across my shoulder.

"Me too," I sighed. Edward grabbed the bottle of body wash and squirted some into his hand and began rubbing my back slowly. It felt so good and I nearly fell asleep because his motions were so relaxing, it was wonderful. I was woken from my reverie when he began rinsing the soap off of my body, so I decided that it was his turn. I sat up slightly and instructed him to turn around so I could massage his back.

"You have no idea how good that feels," he muttered as I squeezed his shoulders. I laughed at his comment since I had just been subjected to his hands.

"Um, I think I do," I said with a small laugh. Edward laughed with me and once I was done massaging his back, we just sat with each other in the tub for a while. Once the water got too chilly for both of our likings, Edward stood up and got both of us towels. I wrapped mine around my body, which was now covered in goose bumps.

"Crap. Baby I'm sorry, you're probably freezing now," Edward said remorsefully as he pulled me flush against his body, trying to warm me up.

"I'm fine Edward, really, I just need to get dressed," I mumbled into his chest as he led us back into the bedroom.

"Here, Alice has all of your clothes labeled, put on the ones that say 'Saturday,'" Edward instructed as I gaped at him in shock. Alice had _labeled my clothes?_ Did he really have this entire weekend planned so thoroughly that he knew where we would be at all times?

"That crazy broad _labeled_ my clothes?" I practically shrieked. Edward just smirked at me and nodded. "I swear, living with Jasper had made that woman an organizing machine," I laughed. "How messy can your best friend be anyway?" This time Edward joined me in laughter.

"He's not exactly the neatest guy in the world," Edward said after his chuckle died down. "I told her what we would be up to and she agreed to pick out the appropriate attire."

I rolled my eyes, reached into my bag and pulled out the pile of clothes that were in fact, labeled, 'Saturday.' It was just a simple pair of jeans and a nice blue blouse. Well, nicer than I would normally wear. We both got dressed once again and Edward practically shoved me out the door.

"Where are we going now?" I asked once we were in the Volvo.

"For lunch. There's a place called Bloedel Reserve and they have a bunch of gardens. I made us a reservation for lunch at the Japanese Garden. I hope that's okay."

I leaned in and kissed him as I wondered what I had done to deserve someone so wonderful. "It's more than okay," I said once I had pulled away. I gave him a reassuring smile and he put the car in gear as we drove the thirty-minute drive to the reserve.

The Japanese Garden was beautiful, it was surrounded by evergreen trees which complimented the small Japanese architecture which all surrounded the small pond. The little restaurant had such an intimate setting and I couldn't help but stare at Edward in awe the entire time. He never ceased to amaze me with everything he did for me.

We were seated at a small table in the corner of the restaurant right next to a window that gave us a lovely view of the pond. "So are we doing anything else on this fine day that I should know about?" I asked after the waiter had taken our drink orders.

"Maybe," he said simply. He knew he was taunting me and I couldn't take the surprising aspect of this trip for much longer.

"You know, I'm beginning to think you're a secret agent with all of these surprises you've been hiding from me," I said teasingly, trying to give him a taste of his own medicine. It didn't work very well.

"Damn, you figured me out," he countered, playing along. I hadn't been counting on that, but damn he was good. Usually he would feel guilty that he was keeping things from me, but this time my teasing had not worked to my advantage.

"Stubborn," I accused.

"Your mother never introduced you to the expression 'patience is a virtue' did she?" he asked with a small chuckle in his voice. I glared at him because I obviously was not getting him to budge at all.

"Fine," I huffed. After that, lunch seemed to pass more smoothly. I still wondered where the hell he was going to take me, but I tried my best to be patient and just enjoy my time with him.

Once we were finished with our lunch, Edward drove us to a small market and I looked at him, perplexed. "We need food," he said simply.

"But we just ate," I practically whined. I was beginning to become unhinged with all of his surprises, but I couldn't bring myself to be angry with him because I was actually really enjoying myself. "You know, I'm only being nice to you because you've been so amazing to me today," I told him honestly. "Otherwise I might be furious with you right now."

"Just bear with me, Bella. I will tell you though that we're going to a movie," he told me sweetly. I kissed his cheek and we proceeded to buy all of our favorite candies to sneak into the theater. It was our movie theater ritual; we always snuck in our favorite foods. Sometimes we'd even go so far as to bring burgers in, but we always ate and grinned at each other like idiots the whole time.

We pulled up to the theater and got out of the car, the bag with our food slung over my shoulder and I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the movie that was playing.

"Sabrina?" I asked breathlessly. It was like Edward was recreating our first date. I turned towards him and he was smiling the biggest smile I had ever seen. I threw my arms around him, kissing him as hard as I could for what felt like the thousandth time that day.

Once I pulled away from him, he stroked my cheek with the back of his hand. "You like it?" he asked seriously. I smiled at him and kissed him chastely once more.

"I love it."

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	26. Someone to Watch Over Me

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**This story is coming to an end soon. I'm thinking 2-3 more chapters (maybe more) and maybe an epilogue. **

**I don't own Twilight, but I do have an unusual hankering for steak after seeing 'Law Abiding Citizen' this weekend.**

**BPOV**

Edward and I walked into the theater with his arms around my shoulder and my body tucked into his side. I was so in love with this man I couldn't believe myself. Three months ago, I was petrified to even have the thoughts that I now think about him every day. I was so happy with how far we had come.

"I love you," I sighed contently as we took our seats and I once again attached myself to his side. I didn't want to be even minutely far from him.

"Always baby," he said as he kissed the top of my head and the credits began rolling. I grabbed Edward's hand in mine and we watched the movie in relative silence. I couldn't wait to get back to the cottage and show him my appreciation, if you catch my drift. We didn't even touch any of the food we had brought with us. It was perfect.

Towards the end of the movie I couldn't keep my eyes open for the life of me. I tried as hard as I could because Edward had done this for me, but the next thing I knew he was waking me up, shaking my shoulder gently. "Come on, Bella. The movie's over," he whispered softly. I nodded my head as I stood, Edward supporting me mostly and slinging the bag over his shoulder as we walked out to the car.

Edward opened the passenger's side door for me and made sure I didn't fall as I got in the car. He shut the door and put the bag of uneaten food into the back seat before he got into the drivers seat. He started the car and I looked over at the clock, which read just after ten. I remember wondering why I had fallen asleep so early, but I must have fallen asleep again in the car because the next thing I knew, Edward was carrying me back into the cottage.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep," I mumbled almost incoherently as Edward laid me down on the bed. I had wanted to repay him for everything he had done for me today and I had to go and fall asleep.

"It's okay, baby. Just sleep," he said in a soft voice as he peeled off my jeans and blouse. He climbed into bed next to me a moment later and my body was immediately seeking the warmth of his. Edward put his arms around me and I rested my head on his chest, drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

The next morning I woke up feeling hungry. We hadn't eaten since lunch the day before and as I opened my eyes, I felt Edward's body shaking slightly as he chuckled beneath me. "Stop laughing at me unless you have food," I mumbled against his chest. He stroked my hair and for a moment I forgot that I was starving.

"Sorry, it looks like we're going to have to go out and pick something up," he replied. "That is unless you want Razzles for breakfast."

I groaned at his response and glanced over at the clock and saw that it was just after ten. I guess work and school were really taking their toll on me. The late hours were resulting in me trying to catch up on my sleep at any chance I got. "Okay, come on, let's go. If I don't eat now I'll lose it!" I said as I got up and searched for my clothes labeled 'Sunday AM.' I laughed at Alice again and threw them on, keeping an eye on Edward's tempting ass as he changed clothes on the other side of the room.

"See anything you like?" he asked, breaking me from my reverie. I nodded slowly and fixed my hair, brushing it out and pulling it back into a ponytail. There wasn't even any coffee for us to drink. I was not a happy camper.

We made it out the door within a half an hour and spent the next forty-five minutes in the small market that was about twenty minutes away from the cottage. We picked up a couple of sandwiches, some coffee for the next morning and Edward spent the rest of the time mulling over what to cook for dinner. He insisted on cooking for me even though I told him I could do it with no trouble. Of course, he shot that idea down right away.

"Bella, I'm making it the tradition that when we come here I am cooking for you. End of story," he said with a smirk. I just shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly and thought that maybe I would actually get to relax while he cooked. Yeah, right.

"Whatever you say," I said with a smile and kissed him gently.

"Come on, I'm the one starving now," he said after he finally decided that we were making homemade pizza for dinner. He even considered letting me help because he said that when I worked at Gourmet back in Forks the pizza was never the same unless I made it.

"What?" I asked, confused because I couldn't believe he never told me that.

"It was something I noticed right after we met. No one could make it like you do," Edward said as he put his arm around my shoulder and we grabbed our bags and walked back to the car.

"I can't believe you never told me," I said once we pulled away from the market.

"It never came up," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. I didn't respond, I just clasped my hand in his and we enjoyed a peaceful ride back to the cottage.

Once we got back, we scarfed down our sandwiches and I immediately felt tired again. I let out a big yawn and Edward looked at me incredulously. "I'm sorry, I'm just so tired. Would you mind if I took a nap?" I asked, feeling a little guilty and hoping he didn't have any more surprises planned.

"Of course, Bella. I know you've had it rough with work and school lately. Come on, I'll even lay with you while you sleep," Edward said as he grabbed my hand and led me to the bedroom. I kissed his cheek as we settled down in the large bed and he stroked my hair soothingly until I fell asleep.

When I woke up, I felt around for Edward, but he wasn't next to me. Instead my hand came in contact with a small piece of paper. I unfolded it and read it, feeling a bit perplexed at what it said.

_Find the next note and you will be closer to finding me._

_Check the end table._

I did as the note said and grasped at another small piece of paper that was sitting on top of the table. I unfolded it and read it.

_I could never be happier that I forgot my cell phone at the pizzeria the night I met you. _

_Check the bathroom._

I smiled at the note, remembering the first time we met, when I bumped into him as he was coming back to Gourmet to get his cell phone. I got out of the bed and tiptoed over to the bathroom and smiled at what I found inside. There was a small amount of water in the tub and floating on top of the water was a miniature boat. The third note was sitting inside. I carefully bent down next to the bathtub and pulled the boat out of the water, taking the note from inside and unfolding it.

_I knew I loved you from the moment I opened my eyes and saw you above me that day on the sailboat. You saved me then and now._

_You're almost there, go into the living room._

A single tear trailed down my cheek as I read the note and I got up, heading into the living room. Sitting on the chest next to the leather couch was a red, 1965 Mustang model car. I laughed as soon as I saw it and rushed over to unfold the note that was nestled inside.

_I'll never forget the sound of your laugh on our first date when I told you the car's name was Sally. _

_One more hint in the kitchen._

My smile was beginning to make my cheeks ache it was so big. I rushed into the kitchen where I found the pizza stone that we had purchased earlier at the market. A small piece of paper folded on top.

_Your arms are my shelter and your heart is my home._

_I'm waiting for you by the lighthouse._

I wasted no time sliding on my shoes before I flung the front door open and darted outside, running down the short path that led out to the water until I reached the large opening and saw the lighthouse. I picked up my pace when I saw Edward sitting on the rocks looking out onto the water, in the same place we had been sitting the last time we were here all those months ago.

He must have heard me coming from behind because he turned to face me with the biggest grin I've ever seen gracing his perfect face. I ran to him and his strong arms encircled me as he buried his face into my neck, lifting me up off the ground and squeezing me tightly. I turned my head, wanting to kiss him. His lips enveloped mine and I let the kiss and Edward consume me. When I could no longer breathe, I pulled back reluctantly and looked at him. "Hey," I said breathlessly.

**EPOV**

As soon as Bella's breathing evened out, I gently slid out from underneath her and set to work. I'd already written all of the notes, so I went into my bag and got them along with the boat and the model Mustang and placed them around the house. I went back into the bedroom and made sure Bella was still asleep before going back into my bag and getting the ring – out of that damned sock – and going out by the lighthouse to wait.

On the short walk down the path I started to feel more nervous than I had been feeling over the last couple of days. I started to panic that Bella would say no. I mean, we both knew that we would be together forever, but we had never actually sat down and discussed marriage seriously. I just hoped with all that I had that she would say yes because there was no way I was putting this off any longer. The last time I held in my feelings for her, it didn't turn out too well.

I don't know how long I sat out there on the rocks by the water, but the speed of my heart hammering in my chest increased tenfold when I heard Bella coming behind me. I stood to face her, not being able to hold back the smile when she looked at me. I wanted her to look at me like that forever. Her pace picked up and she threw herself at me and I held her tightly, breathing into her neck. I was happy she seemed to like the little notes that I had left her. When she bent her head to kiss me, my heart felt like it might actually leap out of my chest. I loved her with everything I had.

"Hey," she said once she pulled away, gasping for air. "Did I find what I was looking for?" she asked breathlessly. I smiled at her, but inside I was a nervous wreck. I needed her to say yes.

"Maybe," I said after a moment. I let go of her waist and made sure her feet were planted

firmly on the ground and rested my hands on her hips. My thumbs made slow, lazy circles on her hips as I tried to compose myself as I concentrated on her eyes. "Can you do me one more favor?" I asked, no doubt sounding anxious.

Bella's eyes grew wary as if she knew something big was coming. She nodded her head, seeming unsure. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, getting down on my knee. Bella gasped as she realized what I was about to do. I saw a single tear fall down her cheek and the pounding in my chest grew impossibly faster, so fast I was afraid she could hear it. I placed my arms around her waist, holding her.

"Will you marry me?" Bella closed her eyes and more tears fell from her eyes. I was kneeling before her, watching her every movement as I waited for her to respond. A thin sheen of sweat started to form on my forehead and when Bella opened her eyes; she was smiling.

"Yes," she said happily. She let out a laughing, sobbing sound and it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard. I stood up so fast I thought I might knock her down as I then cupped her face in my hands and kissed her with all the passion I had. Her hands encircled my neck and it was almost impossible for our lips to stay together because we were both grinning like idiots.

"I love you, Bella. I love you so much," I murmured against her lips. It felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off of my shoulders now that I knew she would be mine for the rest of our lives.

"Edward, I… I don't even know what to say. This is…" she took a breath before continuing. "I love you. More than you'll ever know." I reached into my pocket, remembering the ring. I pulled out the box and opened it, pulling the ring out of its velvet encased home before Bella saw it. She obviously had seen it once it was nestled between my fingers because I heard a quite loud gasp come from her beautiful lips. I smiled and grabbed her left hand, sliding it onto her ring finger.

"Do you like it?"

She looked at me, her facial expression somewhere between reprimanding and blissful. "Do I like it? I love it, Edward. It's from you. Of course, it's perfect," she said as she grabbed my face in her hands and kissed me again. I wrapped my arms around the woman I would spend the rest of my life with and lifted her off the ground again.

Bella swung her legs around my waist and I reached down and cupped her ass, supporting her. "I want you, Edward," Bella said seductively as she whispered into my ear, biting down slightly on my ear lobe. I felt myself grow hard beneath her and I wanted nothing more than to carry her back to the cottage and make love to her all night.

"Come on, baby. Let's go," I said as I tried carrying her all the way to the house. Unfortunately for Bella, I tripped on something and we both fell into the long grass and I tried my best not to crush her as we both went down. "Are you okay?" I asked her after the initial shock from falling had worn off.

"I'm fine," she said with a laugh. It seemed like nothing could dampen her mood tonight because she wrapped her legs around my waist again and lifted her small hips into my hard on. I groaned and couldn't control myself as I ground my hips into hers. We stayed like that for a few minutes, grinding against each other as I sucked on her neck, most likely leaving a mark.

"Edward," Bella moaned after a few minutes. She ran her fingers through my hair and squeezed her legs around my waist even tighter, pushing me harder against her heat and causing me to groan even louder into her neck. I finally realized where we actually were. We were outside in the cold, it was almost dark and if we didn't stop soon, I would end up taking my fiancée out here in the grass.

"Come on Bella. We can't do this out here," I said as I reluctantly pulled my lips away from her neck and kneeled back so I was on my knees. I held my hand out for her and she gave a resigned sigh, taking my hand as I helped her up.

"I need you, now," she whispered into my ear once we were both standing. She then darted out of the clearing and into the part of the path that was concealed mostly by trees. She was such a tease.

I ran after her, catching her once we were out of the clearing and grabbed her wrist. I pushed her up against a tree and my mouth immediately went to her neck. I pushed my erection into her once again and bit down gently onto the skin between her neck and shoulder. "Do you feel how much I need you, Bella?" I growled. Bella moaned loudly and I wasn't sure if it was from the feeling of my hard on or from my words. I quickly backed away from her and grabbed her hand, pulling her closer to the cottage.

Once we were inside there was no stopping us. Bella tore her shirt off, leaving her in a blue lace bra. I quickly lifted my shirt over my head and threw it onto the black couch in the living room as we passed it. I pushed Bella against the doorframe outside our bedroom and hastily unclasped her bra and slid it off her arms, exposing her perfect breasts. She was perfect and she was mine, forever.

"You're so fucking perfect, Bella," I said right before her hands found purchase on my belt and she began unbuckling it. She quickly made work of it and slid my pants down to my ankles. I swiftly stepped out of them and Bella stood up and kissed me fiercely as I reached over and reciprocated, unbuttoning her jeans and shoving them down her legs until they were at her ankles. She stepped out of them, nearly tripping, but I managed to catch her before she fell.

Bella's lips moved to my chest where she began placing open-mouthed kisses and swirling her tongue around my nipple. She placed her hand over my fabric covered cock and began rubbing it furiously. "Fuck, Bella. I need you, now."

"Come and get me, Edward," Bella said as she pushed me into the bedroom, keeping her hand on my erection the entire time. Eventually, the back of my knees hit the bed and Bella fell on top of me onto it. She replaced her hand with her lace covered pussy and began grinding it against my hard on. She was killing me; I needed to be inside of her.

I tugged at her panties and she lifted herself off me only long enough for me to practically rip them from her body and toss them across the room. I took my opportunity and buried one finger inside of her, quickly adding a second and began pumping them in and out. Bella was moaning and writhing above me as she bent down and kissed me forcefully. I felt Bella begin to tighten around my fingers and it wasn't too long before she cried out my name in ecstasy.

Once she came down from her high, Bella placed a trail of kisses down my chest and lowered her mouth onto my cock, licking off the drop of liquid that was already at the head. In one swift movement she took all of me into her mouth, causing me to throw my head back in pleasure. I managed to lift my head back up, because there was no way I wanted to miss the sight before me. Bella's head was bobbing up and down on my length and her long hair, confined to a ponytail was falling over one of her shoulders. "I need to be inside of you Bella," I growled when I felt myself getting closer to the edge.

Bella slowly lifted her mouth off of me and repositioned herself so that she was positioned right above my dick. She slowly lowered herself onto me and we both moaned at the sensation. She started off slowly, lifting herself almost all the way off me before lowering herself back down just as slowly. "Oh, Edward," she moaned in the sexiest voice I had ever heard.

I began to pick up the pace, thrusting my hips up to meet hers. "God, Bella you feel so good," I groaned. I could never get enough of her and I knew I wouldn't. For the rest of our lives every time would be like this, better than the last.

After a few moments, I put my hands around Bella's waist and flipped us so she was lying on her back. I was getting close and I wanted her to come with me. I grabbed one of Bella's legs behind her knee and threw it over my shoulder, doing the same with her other leg a moment later.

"Oh my god, Edward!" she screamed as I began pounding myself into her, much faster than before. I placed my hand over her clit that was practically begging to be touched and began rubbing it slowly.

"Come with me, baby," I said huskily as I rubbed her clit harder.

A second later, I felt Bella clench around me. "Yes, Edward!" she screamed as she rode out her orgasm. That pushed me over the edge and I continued to thrust as I spilled inside of her. I placed a small kiss on her neck as we both came down and I rolled off of her slowly.

We lay there for a few minutes, our heavy breathing slowly evening out before Bella made her way closer to me and wrapped her arms around my body. "I love you, Edward," she whispered against my chest. I placed a soft kiss on the top of her head and wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

"I love you too baby," I whispered back. A moment later, I felt something wet trickling onto my chest. "Are you crying Bella?" I asked nervously as I started to panic that she didn't want this. Did she feel like she had no other choice but to say 'yes' to me?

She nodded against my chest slowly. "They're good tears, I promise," Bella reassured me. She sat up and looked at me, bringing her hand to my face and stroking my cheek with her small thumb. "I just… I never thought I would get this lucky. You're amazing and I thought I would never find someone to be with like I am with you," she said as more silent tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Bella, I never thought I would find anyone I love as much as I love you. Hell, I've never been in love with anyone else. I'll _never_ love anyone else," I said confidently as I sat up and pressed my lips to hers. I tried pouring all of the love I had to her into that one kiss, assuring her of how much I loved her. We kissed like that, soft and slow, for a few minutes until we both fell asleep.

When I woke up, it was finally dark outside. I looked over at the clock and saw that it was almost nine o'clock and my stomach was rumbling, demanding I eat something. I figured Bella would be hungry when she woke up, so I carefully climbed out of bed and slid on my boxers. I walked into the kitchen and began preparing the pizza dough that Bella and I had left on the counter to defrost, kneading it out and molding it to fit the small round stone.

I found Bella's iPod in her purse in the living room and plugged it into the dock on the kitchen counter. A few songs into the playlist I heard Bella's footsteps coming out from the bedroom. "There you are," she said happily, as I saw her come into the kitchen wearing my t-shirt.

Bella moved to stand next to me as she observed how I was smearing the sauce onto the dough. She looked around and sauntered over to the fridge, pulling out the small brick of Parmesan cheese that we had picked up in the market. She dug out a grater from one of the drawers and started grating the cheese into the sauce. I looked at her quizzically before she explained.

"My special trick," she said with a smirk as understanding flooded my face. I kissed her cheek lightly and moved over to the sink to wash my hands before putting the stone into the oven. I smiled and grabbed Bella's hand as 'Someone to Watch Over Me' by Ella Fitzgerald came through the speakers of the small iPod dock.

I pulled her small frame to my body and wrapped my arms around her as we began dancing to the slow beat of the music. "What do you think of this song for our first dance?" Bella asked. Her head rested against my arm as we swayed lazily.

"Hmmm… I don't know. I kind of like it, but it seems kind of one-sided doesn't it?"

"I think you're right. We'll figure it out," Bella said softly and I nodded my head in agreement. I glanced down and noticed the ring I had placed on her fingers glimmering in the soft light of the kitchen. I smiled down at it and squeezed Bella even more tighly.

"I'll always watch over you, Bella."

_There's a somebody I'm longing' to see  
I hope that he turns out to be  
Someone who'll watch over me_

_I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood  
I know I could, always be good  
To one who'll watch over me_

**The link to Bella's ring can be found on my profile :)**

****If you would like me to write an epilogue, leave me a review and tell me what you'd like me to include!** There will be at least 2 chapters after this one, so think a few years into the future for the epilogue :)**

**Pssssst. Yes, you over there. If you click that little green button I'll give you a taste of Chapter 26.**


	27. Never Say Never

**Okay, this chapter is extra long so you guys can forgive me for taking so long to post this, right?**

**We're on the home stretch here, folks. Just 2 more chapters after this and the epilogue. I have papers and finals and all that jazz, so this might be my last update until December sometime… I know, it sucks. I'm sorry.**

**In other news, did you see that my awesome beta (thanks for this chap, btw ;) and I were featured on the PIC Fanfic Corner blog last week? We were interviewed, so if you haven't seen it go check it out!**

**http://picffcorner (dot) blogspot (dot) com/2009/11/wednesday-interviews-interview-with (dot) html**

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**I don't own Twilight, but I do have an exam today that I really, really don't wanna take :)**

**BPOV**

"Stop being such a baby, Bella. It's an important decision!" Rosalie griped at me for the umpteenth time that day. She, Alice and I were standing in the dressing room of the bridal shop where I had picked out my wedding dress. We were there to pick up my dress and Rosalie and Alice were trying to convince me to get a ridiculously long train to go with it. Being here one last time was bringing me back to when we had first come here to get my dress, with Edward in tow. He'd wanted to be there even though he didn't want to see a thing.

_I stood on a small podium and looked at myself in the mirror. I hadn't been over the moon about picking out a wedding dress, unlike most brides. I really just wanted to stand next to Edward at the altar and say our vows. I didn't care if we were both wearing jogging suits; the only thing that mattered was the fact that he would be the one standing next to me._

_I had tried on countless dresses, but this dress held no comparison to any of them. It had a sweetheart neckline with thick straps that were made of delicate lace which also lay over satin fabric on the bust, which accentuated the ruching detail in the fitted bodice of the dress. It fell perfectly in an A-line style and more lace was overlaying the bottom of the dress. I could actually visualize me walking down the aisle in this dress; sharing our first kiss as husband and wife and Edward and me swaying to our first dance._

"_He can't see anything, right Alice?" I asked nervously. I knew this was the perfect dress for me and I didn't want anything to be spoiled for Edward. I knew how much our wedding meant to him... to us, and I wanted the first time he saw me in my dress to be when I was walking down he aisle on the arm of my father._

"_Nope, he's still over there in the corner occupying himself near the lingerie. Apparently, he has no problem seeing what will be underneath your dress," Alice said with a small giggle._

"_Good. This is the dress," I said with relief, as I saw my mother leap from her seat and wrap her arms around me._

"_Oh Bella, you look so beautiful!" she shouted almost too loudly._

"_Thanks, Mom."_

_Once I was dressed in my normal clothes again, I said goodbye to Alice, Rosalie and my mother before I strolled over to where Edward was still gawking at the lingerie. "See anything you like?" I asked, clearly catching him off guard because he jumped at the sound of my voice._

"_Yes, but she's completely covered," he said as he took two long strides towards me and kissed my lips as he snaked his strong arms around my waist. I laughed a little into our kiss as I stroked his hair and I felt the vibrations of his pleased humming against my lips._

"_I see you've been keeping yourself busy," I said, nodding my head over towards the lingerie in front of us. "I have a secret though," I whispered in his ear, nipping slightly at his earlobe. "I already have mine picked out." I heard his sharp intake of breath as I kissed his neck once more and pulled back so I could look at his shocked expression._

"_One of these?" he asked as he pointed behind himself. I scanned the lingerie and indeed found the set that I had purchased a few weeks ago and nodded my head. "Which one?" Edward asked. I could see his eyes darken with lust, but I knew I wasn't going to tell him._

"_You'll just have to wait and see," I said with a smirk. Edward groaned and I pressed my body more firmly against his, feeling his evident arousal press against my stomach. "Don't worry though, I've got something waiting for you at home that you could see now if you want," I said seductively. Edward's eyes widened and his mouth drew into a big grin as he grabbed my hand and we walked briskly out of the store. _

"_Let's go."_

"I'm not being a baby, Rose. I just don't see why having twenty-five feet of fabric dragging behind me is _that_ big of a deal," I countered in a frustrated tone.

"It won't be twenty-five fucking feet, Bella. You're not Princess Di. Jeez, you'd think you would be used to us being so picky after almost a year of planning for this wedding," Alice said. She sounded like she was trying to sound frustrated, but really I could tell that she was trying to keep the giggles inside of that overbearing little mouth of hers.

One year. It's been one year and two months since Edward proposed to me. Neither of us had wanted a long engagement, but we thought it was only logical that we wait until I was finished with school until we got married, considering how busy we both were. We had set the date, May 23rd, soon after getting engaged so that we would have an entire year to plan a small ceremony and it wouldn't be complete chaos with school and my job and Edward's unpredictable hospital hours.

I was definitely thankful that I had Alice and Rosalie to help with all of the planning. They did get on my nerves during times like these, but I was grateful for their help, more than they knew. The three of us had grown impossibly close over the last year and I couldn't be happier. I had two best friends and the most amazing fiancé in the world.

Two years ago, I would have laughed if someone told me that this is where I would end up. I could hardly believe it myself, but I wouldn't trade places with anyone else. Life was really kind of perfect.

Edward and I had moved in together last September after my lease was up. I had moved into his apartment and he was planning on selling it sometime after we were married, because we both wanted to move into a place somewhere near Seattle. Especially when we started planning to have children, which neither of us was ready for any time soon, however we still wanted to be prepared for when they came along and not be forced to move again.

We were getting married in two days and I had never been more certain of anything in my entire life. I had changed so much in the past year and it was definitely for the better. Since our one miscommunication, which seemed like ages ago, I never once doubted Edward. He was the one thing in my life that I knew I could count on and he always came through for me.

I remembered when we told my parents that we had gotten engaged. I was so nervous because Charlie hadn't exactly been Edward's biggest fan since our little break up last year, and I knew Renee wanted me to wait until I was done with school before I got married, but Edward never let me down though.

"_This is so not how I pictured this happening," I said anxiously as my breathing started to pick up and the sweat started to bead on my forehead. "Charlie is going to shoot you and my mother is going to hate me." I was really starting to panic._

"_Bella, Bella. Calm down. Everything is going to be fine," Edward reassured me as he grabbed my face in his hands and began stroking my cheeks with his thumbs. His touch immediately calmed me down, but only slightly. "We're getting married, we didn't commit a crime," he whispered. "Okay?" I nodded my head and closed my eyes as I felt the gentle touch of his lips on my forehead._

_When my mother answered the door, she enveloped both of us into a big hug and I tried my best not to let her see the ring on my left hand. She knew that Edward and I had gotten back together, and had been together for three months after what had happened, but she didn't know how serious Edward and I were about each other._

"_Hi Mom," I said happily, albeit a little nervously. _

"_It's so good to have you kids here," she said warmly, as she welcomed both of us into the house. Edward gave me one last reassuring look before we entered and I smiled at him, trying to let him know that I was okay. I don't think he bought it though._

_A half an hour later, Edward, my mother, my father and I were all sitting in the living room drinking beer and talking about how my new job and Edward's job at the hospital were both going. When the subject of the previous weekend, the weekend that Edward had proposed to me came up, my stomach immediately turned to knots and my whole body got sweaty. I honestly did not know how the news of our engagement would go over with either of my parents, but I knew we needed to tell them. It was the reason we were there for cripes sake._

"_Mom, dad, Edward and I have some really… really great news," I said nervously. My voice was beginning to shake and I felt Edward's hand move to my thigh and give it a firm squeeze, silently assuring me that everything would be okay._

_Suddenly I couldn't even speak. I wanted to tell my parents that I was marrying the man I loved, the only man I could ever love, but the words simply would not come out of my mouth. I wanted to tell them how truly happy I was, I wanted to tell them that we were waiting until I graduated school before we got married, but most of all, I just wanted them to believe it all and take comfort in the fact that we weren't rushing anything._

"_Renee, Charlie. I proposed to Bella this weekend and she said yes. We're getting married," Edward said, as he looked at me with adoration clear on his face. I smiled at him, both thankfully and lovingly. "I love your daughter with everything that I have to give and I want to spend the rest of my life with her," he finished as he turned his head back over to my parents, who were sitting on the couch across from us._

_Both of their faces showed shock, but what was also clear in their expressions was the happiness. They were actually smiling, and in turn the biggest smile broke out onto my face as I looked at my parents. "Mom, Dad, he means everything to me and I know we're young and I know that I'll have to graduate school first, but we both want this. So much," I said in one long breath, relieved that they finally knew that we were engaged._

"_Congratulations, Edward," my father said, shocking the hell out of both me and Edward as he held out his hand for Edward to take. Edward accepted it graciously and Charlie even pulled him into a hug, making one single tear fall down my cheek._

"_Thank you, Charlie. I'll take care of her forever. I promise," Edward said as he embraced my father. I was so relieved to see that Charlie had accepted Edward's and my relationship and I got up and hugged my mother._

"_Congratulations, baby," she told me as I hugged her. "I know how happy he makes you," my mother whispered in my ear, just low enough so I was the only one who heard her. She let me go and moved on to Edward as I took my turn hugging Charlie. I hugged him with everything I had, because I had no idea that he had come to terms with the fact that Edward would never intentionally hurt me, that he loved me just as much as I loved him and that we were both committed to each other forever._

"_I love you, Dad," I said as I felt Charlie rubbing small circles on my back._

"_I love you too Bells."_

That was how we ended up here, done with the planning and about to get married. I had graduated from graduate school the week before and I was still teaching at the high school, ready to begin the new, and certainly the best chapter of my life as Mrs. Edward Cullen. My bachelorette party had been the previous weekend and although I had been nervous about letting Alice and Rosalie plan it, they definitely had not let me down. They surprised me when they didn't drag me to some loud bar or brought a stripper to my apartment. Instead, they simply took me out to a really cool lounge where we all sat together and enjoyed the sounds of different bands playing. They knew me too well. There were, however, all of the embarrassing gifts that they forced upon me, but I supposed that those would eventually come in handy.

I eventually relented and got a small train for my dress that I would be able to take off during the reception. Alice and Rosalie tried on their dresses to make sure everything was all good as well. They were my only bridesmaids, Alice being my maid of honor, of course. Once we were all finished in the store we decided to go out for lunch.

"Bella, Mr. Weber said that he will be in Bothell, at the Dragonfly tomorrow around seven to start the rehearsal," Alice said as she finished listening to the voicemail that she had received while we were in the shop. Mr. Weber was my high school friend Angela's father, and he had graciously agreed to marry Edward and I.

My fantastic thoughts about Edward and the wedding were bluntly interrupted by Alice's statement and then when I forcefully bumped into something, or rather someone as I stepped out of the bridal salon. I looked up and saw the one person I had hoped I would never run into again, nearly dropping the garment bag that contained my wedding dress onto the ground.

Jacob.

"What the hell?" he asked rudely as I had just bitten back the apology that had almost escaped my lips. "Bella?"

"Hello, Jacob," I said as I swiftly moved out of his way, planning on going to lunch with my friends and ignoring his existence, as I had planned to do for the rest of my life.

"What the fuck were you doing in there?" he asked menacingly pointing to the bridal shop where we had just exited.

"Listen, asshole-" Rosalie angrily spat, before I cut her off.

"I'm getting married, Jacob. Do you have some sort of problem with that?" I asked defensively, as I handed my garment bag to Alice carefully, so I didn't do anything stupid.

"Depends. Who's the guy?" he questioned, as if he had the right to know. I wanted to punch him in the throat for being such an asshole. My sanity was hanging by a thread and he only needed to say one more thing before I would physically attack him. He was the one who had treated me like worthless garbage, what could he possibly want from me? Did he just feel the need to make me miserable?

"That is _none_ of your fucking business!" My hands were clenched into fists and I felt Alice's hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me down. "Drop dead, Jacob." I walked away from him, hoping that I would never have to see his face or hear another condescending word come from his mouth, ever again. My hands were shaking at my sides and I really needed to calm down.

"Bella, that was amazing. He didn't deserve your attention and you handled it so well," Alice said as she and Rose finally caught up with my quick footsteps, as I moved as fast as I could in the opposite direction of Jacob.

"You should have kicked him in the balls," Rosalie added as I slowed my walk down minutely and we all burst out into laughter, mostly because I knew how close I had actually come to hitting him, or pummeling him to the ground.

My hands were still shaking slightly with anger as we sat down for lunch. I checked my cell phone after we ordered drinks and saw that I had a text message from Edward.

_How are you holding up with the Witches of Eastwick? – E_

I giggled at his comment and just shook my head when Alice and Rosalie gave me quizzical looks. Even though he had no idea what had just happened with Jacob, it was like he knew just what I needed, like always. I didn't think I should tell him about what had happened, because I never intended to see Jacob again as long as I lived. As far as I was concerned, it was nothing.

_Hey, that's my best friend and your sister-in-law you're talking about. And I'm doing fine, thank you. We just sat down for lunch. When will you be home? I miss you. – B_

_Fuck, I miss you too. I don't know when I'll be home, but I want to sleep next to you tonight. – E_

_Me too. Our bed was so cold and lonely last night without you in it. - B_

_I'll do whatever it takes to be there with you. – E_

_Good. I love you. – B_

_I love you, too. – E _

I walked into our apartment after my lunch with Alice and Rosalie and worked on grading some papers. It felt like my eyes were bleeding by the time I was finished since high school kids and Shakespeare did not typically blend well together and I really needed a drink. I looked over at the clock in the living room, where I had been sitting on the couch and saw that it was already eight o'clock. I had spent nearly five hours grading those papers. It wasn't until I poured myself a glass of wine that I realized how hungry I was.

I quickly cooked myself a tuna melt and scarfed it down, eagerly awaiting Edward. I was really hoping that he would be home early and I really didn't want to fall asleep before he got home tonight. _If he got home tonight._ Although I had to admit, I loved the fact that I was always there for him when he did get home.

I settled down on the couch and watched a marathon of 'The Office.' I popped in my season three DVD's and before I knew it, I was asleep. I awoke some time later to a pair of strong arms lifting me up from the couch.

**EPOV**

I walked into the apartment just after midnight and hoped that Bella would still be awake. Sure enough though, I walked in and found my fiancée sprawled across the couch, 'The Office' was still playing, with Jim in the middle of faxing Dwight messages from himself, from the future. I laughed quietly and turned the television off and scooped Bella into my arms to carry her into our bedroom.

She stirred as I made my way down the hallway. "Edward?" she asked sleepily. Bella's eyes fluttered open and she looked up at me, her eyes nothing but tiny slits staring back at me.

"Shhh, baby. I'm here, go back to sleep," I whispered as her eyes closed again and I walked into our bedroom. I placed Bella softly on our bed and gently removed her shoes, trying not to wake her. I carefully peeled her pants and shirt off, leaving her in just her bra and panties. I looked down at her gorgeous body and if I hadn't been so tired, I may have considered waking her up.

"No, Dwight, don't spill the coffee… it's only Jim…" Bella mumbled, clearly more than half asleep. I couldn't hold back the laugh that rose from my lips though. I stripped my scrubs off and climbed in bed next to Bella in just my boxers.

I kissed her temple and switched the lamp on the nightstand off and scooped Bella into my arms. I felt her move next to me again and her eyes flickered against my chest. "Edward," Bella breathed my name in contentment, which would forever be one of my favorite sounds in the world, only coming second to when she screamed my name when we made love. "Why didn't you wake me up? I missed you," she mumbled into my chest as she squeezed me tightly.

I kissed Bella's forehead and stroked her hair. "I missed you, too baby," I whispered into her hair. "But we're both exhausted, get some sleep."

"Okay. I love you, Edward," she breathed. I smiled down at her as I realized that this was our last night at home, tomorrow we would all be heading down to the retreat where the wedding would be held. This was the last night that I would hold Bella as she slept before she was my wife.

"I love you, too Bella." I kissed the top of Bella's head, resting my cheek there and her breathing began to even out. "I can't wait to marry you," I whispered, and before I knew it, I was asleep.

The next day, Bella and I were allowed to sleep in seeing as we didn't have to be at the Dragonfly Retreat until later in the afternoon. We woke up around twelve and finished packing our things that we would need for our overnight stays at the Dragonfly. All of our stuff for the honeymoon was packed, so we wanted separate overnight bags for when we stayed at the retreat with our friends and family. We enjoyed our afternoon, just relaxing and being together. It had been so long since we'd had time like this, to just _be_ and we were relishing in the time we had, and the fact that in a couple of days we would be doing it somewhere else on our honeymoon. I wasn't telling Bella where we were going until that night because I wanted her to be surprised, but I knew she would love where we were going.

"Come on, at least give me a hint," she begged as we sat in the living room waiting for Alice and Jasper to pick us up and take us over to the Dragonfly for the rehearsal dinner, where I would be giving Bella another surprise.

"No can do, baby. You'll find out tonight. I promise," I told her as there was a knock on the door.

"Alice," we both said in unison. I stood up, pulling Bella with me as she suddenly grabbed my face in her hands and kissed me fiercely. I felt her tongue press against my lips and I opened my mouth, letting her in as our tongues danced until we were both out of breath.

"Not that I'm complaining," I breathed. "But what was that for?" I asked as I quirked a smile at my gorgeous fiancée.

"Well, I have no idea when I'm going to be able to do that next," she said with a laugh while she walked over to the door to let Alice and Jasper into the apartment. I stared after her in complete disbelief, reveling in the fact that this woman was mine and in about 48 hours she would be my wife. I walked over to the door where Alice and Jasper were now walking into our apartment.

"Bella!" Alice shrieked, so loudly that I almost felt the need to cover my ears. I loved her like a sister, but sometimes I seriously wondered how the hell she and Bella had found such a balanced friendship with their contrasting personalities.

"Hey, Al," Bella said as she looked at me and smiled. I smiled back at her and turned to Jasper.

"Are you ready? Everyone is already at the retreat, just awaiting our arrival!" Alice beamed once she let Bella out of her death grip.

"Okay, okay let's go then."

"Hey man," I said as I grabbed Jasper's hand and pulled him in for a quick hug.

"You ready for this, Edward? I mean, the rest of your life with one woman…" Jasper said jokingly. I punched his shoulder lightly as the girls began laughing along with Jasper and I quickly joining them.

"Definitely. I am definitely ready for this, Jazz."

The retreat was about a half hour drive from the apartment and when we got there we found everything was all ready for us. The tables were set up in the dining room and the wedding arch had already been set up out on the lawn. I grabbed Bella's hand and squeezed it tightly as soon as we both saw it sitting outside.

"It's perfect," Bella said quietly. I leaned over and kissed her temple as we both stood by the window, simply looking out at the large patio. We were soon interrupted by the voices of our family as they bounded down the stairs to join us. I reluctantly turned away from Bella and saw my parents walking towards us, with Renee and Charlie in tow.

"Hi, Mom," I said as she enveloped me in a gentle hug and I watched as Bella embraced my father.

"So good to see you, Bella," he told her genuinely. If there was one thing I was thankful for in all of this, it was the fact that my parents loved Bella like she was their own daughter and our families got along. Unlike with Emmett's in-laws, my parents took to Renee and Charlie as if they had known them for years.

"Oh Bella dear, it's been too long. Congratulations," my mother said as I was quick to say hello to my future mother and father-in-law.

"It's so wonderful that you're here, Edward," Renee beamed after giving me a vice-gripping hug. I swiftly moved on to Charlie and shook his hand.

"Good to see you, Edward. It's a pretty nice place you guys picked," Charlie said as he gestured to the room we were standing in and then to the outside patio.

"Thank Alice and Rosalie, they picked out all the venues that Bella had to choose from," I laughed.

"Well if it isn't my little brother," said the booming voice of Emmett as he and Rosalie came down the stairs. His wife immediately went to stand with Bella as I became the victim of an Emmett-induced suffocation. Otherwise known, to some, as a bear hug.

"Hey Emmett," I said as soon as I was able to breathe again.

"Hey, Bel!" Emmett shouted as I watched him grip Bella and lift her off the ground, despite her shrieks of protest.

"Jeez, you oaf. Have you never heard of personal boundaries?" Bella asked as she giggled and smoothed down her shirt. She and Emmett bickered like brother and sister and he was always teasing her about one thing or another.

"Never," he countered and mussed her hair up a bit, which was the moment Alice intervened.

"Okay, okay that's enough. Once her hair is messed up then you're dealing with me," Alice said as she grabbed Bella's arm and began leading her towards the stairs. "We've got some work to do before dinner." Rosalie quickly followed them up the stairs and I gave Bella a sympathetic look, but my gaze never left hers until she was out of sight.

It was my job to entertain our guests until Mr. Weber arrived and we were all ready for the rehearsal to begin. I was beginning to feel a little nervous about telling Bella where we were heading on our honeymoon. I knew she would love where we were going, but I didn't know how she would react to it. I also had something else up my sleeve for Bella tonight that I hoped she would love. Soon the pressure was off of me for a little while as we all got ready for the rehearsal. I dressed in a simple black suit, no tie and a white dress shirt.

About an hour and a half later, it was nearing sunset and Mr. Weber had arrived, everyone was just waiting on Alice and Rosalie to be finished with their 'Barbie Bella Creation' as Bella so creatively put it. It was just after seven o'clock when the girls finally emerged out onto the patio. Bella was looked absolutely stunning in a plain black dress that fell just above her knees. Her hair was pinned back and flowing down her back in long curls, and if the tightening in my pants was any indication of how I would react to her when I saw her in her wedding dress tomorrow, then I was seriously screwed. My eyes wandered down her body and I smiled when my eyes came across the blue heels she was wearing, courtesy of Alice, no doubt when I had told her what I planned for Bella tonight.

"Are you ready?" I whispered in Bella's ear as I snuck up behind her, my breath tickling her skin as she jumped slightly. Bella smiled as she turned to face me and I was quick to lean down and kiss her gently on the lips.

"I love you," she whispered, playing aimlessly with the collar of my shirt.

"I love you, too."

A few moments later, everyone was called to their 'places' and we began the rehearsal. As Bella and I stood side by side in front of Mr. Weber, we were about rehearse our vows as he quickly ran through what he would say.

"This is all of my mumbo jumbo that I need to go through and then I ask if anyone has any objections to your marriage, etc." he said as an unfamiliar voice interrupted him.

"Well, aren't you going to ask that now?" someone asked as I felt Bella stiffen at my side. I turned to face whoever it was and I didn't recognize him, but the look of horror on Bella's face told me that she did. "I mean, it would be a shame for me to have to repeat myself again tomorrow," the obscenely tall man slurred, clearly drunk as he was now stalking towards me and Bella.

"Who are you?" I asked angrily. Who the hell was he to object to my marriage when he didn't even know me?

"Jacob," Bella said, her voice sounding hoarse, although I could hear her attempt to make her statement forceful. I froze. I had never met Bella's ex before, and I'd hoped that I would never have the displeasure, least of all the night before our wedding. "What do you want from me?" Bella cried, I could hear her voice growing with the thickness of threatening tears and I wanted nothing more than to carry her away from this idiot.

"You're _mine_, Bella. You have always been mine, ever since we were kids. How could you marry this moron when you know damn well that you belong with me?" Jacob said as he continued to move closer. I watched as all of our friends and family stood frozen in their places. My father was holding Emmett back from doing something that he would regret and I could see that Renee was trying to talk Charlie down from pounding Jacob into the ground. Alice and Rosalie looked horrified, clearly having no idea what was happening.

Well, that made three of us.

I turned toward Bella to see tears staining her cheeks and my heart sunk as I watched her face contort in pain. I tried my best to comfort her, given the situation and I soothingly put my hand on her shoulder, silently letting her know that I would take care of her. Jacob was going to pay for this.

"Like hell I am," Bella said, the hatred clear in her voice. "You cheated on me Jacob! I was such a fool to ever think you loved me. I am marrying Edward, who I am madly in love with. He would _never_ hurt me that way," she yelled. "How did you even know we were here?" Bella shouted, her voice cracking and the sobs threatening to break through. I couldn't stand if it I let Bella cry on the day of our wedding rehearsal. Hell, in just a few hours she would be my wife, and I never wanted to see her cry. Ever.

"I overheard the little bitch talking about where you would be," Jacob said, pointing to Alice, the venom clearly evident in his words.

"Leave. Now," I seethed at Jacob, but the menacing look that he had in his eye was evidence that he had no intention of listening to me. He wasn't getting anywhere near Bella as long as I was there to have something to say about it. "I _never_ want to see you anywhere near Bella, ever again. Get out of here."

"Not without what's mine," Jacob said as he stalked forward and reached his hand out, reaching for Bella, but I was on him before he had the chance to touch her.

"Don't you dare touch her!" I shouted as I shoved him forward and punched him in the face, my fist making contact with his nose, which resulting in a loud cracking sound. I felt my father, Emmett and Charlie surrounding me all at once as I shook out my hand, glad to know that it wasn't broken, just aching slightly.

"Jesus fuck, man!" Jacob yelled, holding his nose as he lifted up his hand, blood now covering his hand and his face. My father held me back from doing anything further, while Emmett and Charlie picked Jacob up off of the ground and dragged him away.

I immediately turned towards Bella as soon as Jacob was out of my sight for what I was sure would be the last time. "Bella… baby are you okay?" I asked as I wiped her tears away with the pad of my thumb and willed her gaze to meet mine.

"I don't know," she said, throwing her arms around my neck. Alice and Rosalie both rubbed soothing circles around Bella's back as I embraced her. I felt the wetness of more tears through my shirt as Bella continued to cry against my chest.

"It's okay, baby. He won't ever get near you again, I promise," I said in my best attempt to soothe her. I felt her shake her head against my chest before she looked up at me.

"No, Edward. This is all my fault, I'm sorry. I should have… I should have just ignored him," Bella said, looking at me with pleading eyes as if she needed my forgiveness.

"Why Bella? What happened?" I asked, because I was feeling completely confused at her statement.

"We saw Jacob yesterday coming out of the bridal shop, I bumped into him and he was furious when I told him that I was getting married. I should have told him, I should have…"

"No, Bella. You didn't do anything wrong. He's a screwed up asshole who never deserved you, okay?" I said, grabbing her face in my hands so I could make sure she saw that I wasn't upset with her at all.

Bella nodded as I wiped away the remaining tears that were staining her cheeks. "I love you, Edward," she said as her face broke out into a smile.

"I love you too, baby." I said as I leaned down and hugged her again, burying my face in her neck and peppering it with small kisses. "I always will."

_I will be your guardian  
When all is crumbling  
Steady your hand_

You can never say never  
Why we don't know when  
Time, time and time again  
Younger now then we were before

Don't let me go

* * *

After the atmosphere in the room had settled, Charlie and Emmett came back outside, explaining that Charlie used his police connections to call someone in the Seattle precinct to arrest Jacob for attempted assault. If he knew what was good for him, especially considering the strings that Bella's father was able to pull, Jacob would stay the hell away from Bella and me for good.

Once everyone was ready and the entire situation had been diffused, we began the rehearsal again, and this time it went perfectly. I couldn't wait until tomorrow when Bella would officially be my wife, showing the world that she was mine forever.

As we all sat inside during dinner, our close group of family and friends laughing together, I pulled Bella back outside. "What are we doing?" she asked as we stepped outside of the sliding glass doors.

"I believe that I owe you the location of our honeymoon?" I said, raising my eyebrows at her as her face flooded with realization.

"Please continue, sir," she said as she gestured toward me. I pulled out the two plane tickets that I had been carrying around in my jacket pocket and handed them to Bella.

Her face was now filled with shock as she read the location on the tickets. "Santorini, Greece? Are you _serious,_ Edward? This is entirely too much," Bella said, looking up at me with confusion more than anger.

"Don't worry, Bella. It was my parents' wedding gift to us," I told her honestly. My parents had called me when Bella and I had first started planning our wedding and asked me to pick somewhere that I thought Bella would love to go and explained me that they would pay all of the expenses as a wedding present. I myself told them that it was too much, but I guess my stubbornness was hereditary.

"It's still too much," Bella said, but a smile once again grew on her face as she kissed my cheek. She moved to open the glass doors when I stopped her. "Edward, I need to thank your parents," she told me, confused as to why I was stopping her from going back inside.

"I know, just wait a minute." Bella stepped back and stood in front of me again. "I have one more gift from my parents," I told her honestly.

"What more could your parents possibly have to give me?"

I chuckled at the truly funny look that she had on her face and pulled out the small bracelet that was also hidden inside my jacket. It was a sapphire bracelet that my mother wanted me to give to Bella, specifically tonight and when I had told Alice, she was thrilled. Hence the blue shoes she had forced Bella to wear. Bella let out a small gasp as soon as she saw the sapphires and marquise diamonds glimmering in the moonlight.

"Oh my god, Edward. It's beautiful," she breathed in astonishment. "Thank you."

"My mother wanted you to have it. It belonged to my Great-Grandma Cullen. She would be proud to see you wearing it," I said honestly as I clasped it around Bella's wrist. "I was informed that this could count as your 'something blue,''' I said with a small laugh as Bella giggled and nodded. She stood on her toes and kissed me, wrapping her arms around my neck as I lifted her from the ground and spun her around. I put her back down and kissed her once more before we went back inside. Bella practically ran over to Carlisle and Esme, embracing them as if they were her own parents.

"Thank you, Esme," Bella said, her voice laced with emotion as she hugged my mother.

"It was meant for you, dear. Welcome to the family."

**Did you know that every year over 200,000 children worldwide are diagnosed with a form of childhood cancer? We cannot ignore this shocking statistic impacting the youth of the world, and we certainly hope that you won't either. We need your help.**

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**Thanks for tuning in, now if you click that little green button I will give you a teaser from Chapter 27 :)**


	28. Come Away With Me

***Ducks around potential flying objects* I'm back :) I am so sorry it took this long for an update. I have been so busy, and it didn't help that I was completely blocked when it came to this story.**

**Thanks to my awesome beta, coldplaywhore for making this chapter readable. I'll save my nonsense for later, now, onto the show.**

**I don't own Twilight, but I do own a new hand knitted hat that my best friend made me!**

**BPOV**

"Baby?" I heard Edward's soft whisper along with the gentle raps as he knocked on the door. I carefully got out of bed, looking over at Alice to make sure she was still sleeping. I tiptoed my way to the door and opened it swiftly, coming face to face with Edward.

Clad in only his boxers. _Fuck yes._

I closed the door quietly, careful to only hear the soft click. I turned to face Edward as he grabbed my wrist, pulling me to him and kissing me forcefully. I gripped his forearms as he backed up and lead us down the hallway towards the bathroom. Once we were inside, Edward pushed me up against the bathroom door and snaked his arms around my waist. I put my arms around Edward's neck as his tongue made it's way into my mouth and his hands roamed down to my ass.

"Mmmm, Edward," I mumbled against his lips. Edward kissed his way down to my neck, causing me to moan.

"Shhh, Bella," Edward said. "Alice might wake up," he continued between kisses.

"I can be quick," I said as my hands wandered down to the waistband of his boxers.

"Fuck, Bella. I will never get tired of hearing you say things like that to me." Edward's grip on my ass tightened and he moved his hands upwards slightly, signaling me to wrap my legs around his waist. I complied with his silent request and suddenly Edward's hard cock was pressed against my heat. "I love you, Mrs. Cullen."

The amount of pleasure I felt in that moment increased tenfold as I heard my soon-to-be name fall from Edward's lips. "God, I love you, too," I said as I began peppering his neck with small, open-mouthed kisses.

Edward began moving against me, hitting me in just the right spot, and pressing me further into the bathroom door. The only light in the room was the small nightlight that was glowing beside us in the darkness. Edward stopped for a moment and I sighed at the loss of pressure on my sweet spot. His hand found the waistband of my pajama shorts and his fingers made their way into them, and he let out a growl as he found that I wasn't wearing any panties. I stared at him lovingly, wondering how I had gotten so lucky to have found him. Someone who would hold off his own pleasure to give me something.

I let out a small whimper as Edward's index finger came in contact with my now swollen clit. He began rubbing small circles around it when suddenly there was a loud knock on the door.

"Bella Swan, you better not have Edward in there with you," said Alice's annoyed, high-pitched voice a moment later. Edward and I both groaned, since we were now both all worked up and would have no release until tomorrow night.

"We'll pick this up later," I whispered into Edward's ear, nipping at his earlobe slightly.

"You bet your sexy ass we will," Edward replied, chuckling slightly as he set me back down on my feet. He kissed my forehead and we composed ourselves and I opened the door, standing in front of Edward, hoping to hide his evident arousal from the tiny intruder.

"You two are impossible," Alice muttered as she grabbed my wrist and pulled me back towards the bedroom. I stood on my toes as Edward leaned down to kiss me one more time before Alice dragged me away.

"I'll see you in the morning," I called out to Edward quietly once I was pried away from him.

"I'll be waiting at the altar," he replied with a smirk. I watched him, our gazes never breaking apart until Alice closed the door in my face.

"I'll be the one in the monkey suit," he said jokingly as the door was slammed in my face.

"I can't believe you, Bella. You can't go one night without jumping Edward's bones?" Alice whispered harshly to me once as I continued staring at the door like a lovesick fool. _Oh hell, who am I kidding? I am a lovesick fool._

"Well, would you?" I asked quickly. Alice stared at me disbelievingly with her eyebrows raised. "Never mind. Don't answer that. I'm sorry that I have a sexy as hell fiancé who I can't keep my hands off of," I whispered, turning on my heel Alice just giggled at me as I sauntered back over to my bed. My cold, empty bed.

I slept surprisingly well the rest of the night, considering it was the night before my wedding. The next morning, I opened my eyes and nearly had a heart attack at what greeted me. A small pair of brown eyes were staring back at me like I was some sort of lab rat. "Good morning bride! Are you ready?" she asked, nearly making me jump out of my skin.

"Alice, I am ready for you to stop staring at me. Other than that I am ready to have a _relaxed_ morning," I told her as I sat up slowly and stretched my arms and legs. "I will not be poked, prodded or shoved around today."

Alice let out a small laugh, but it sounded downright evil. "You say that like you have a choice in the matter, Bella." With that, she bounced out of the room, warning me that I had exactly seven minutes to get my ass out of bed and into the shower. The wedding was at seven, just in time for sunset, and I had a sinking feeling that I would be at the mercy of my friends and relatives all day.

I looked down at my wrist and saw the small blue bracelet that Edward had given to me the night before.

"My mother wanted you to have it. It belonged to my Great-Grandma Cullen. She would be proud to see you wearing it," He'd told me. I couldn't believe that Esme had wanted me to have it, and not Rosalie who she had known for years. "I was informed that this could count as your 'something blue,''' I laughed at the complete obviousness of Alice's insistence of the blue shoes that she'd coerced me into wearing. I nodded and kissed him fervently, stunned and absolutely grateful that his mother truly saw me as her own daughter.

I pondered this for a few more minutes until Alice came barging back into the room. "Bella Swan, shower! Now." I stuck my tongue out at her like some ten year old and finally got out of the bed and headed into the bathroom.

I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be the day of my wedding, but I was sure that was because I knew that Edward and I would last forever. The bond that he and I shared was solidified even more by what happened the night before with Jacob. Edward had stood by me even when my crazed, cheating ex-boyfriend crashed our rehearsal dinner, and it made me fall in love with him all over again. I couldn't have asked for anyone better to spend the rest of my life with; I was truly lucky.

When I was done with my shower, I slipped on the complimentary robe, headed out into the hallway and into Esme and Carlisle's room where Alice had told me to meet her. When I walked in, Alice, Rose, my mother and Esme were all beaming with excitement as they chatted about how they thought the day would go. Which uncle would snore during the ceremony and of course, Alice insisted that everything would go off without a hitch. The sky was clear, so obviously rain would be out of the question, which was some sort of miracle for Washington State. I knew that rain could be an issue when I booked the Dragonfly for the wedding, but the place was so beautiful that I couldn't resist. I knew it was the right place for Edward and me to get married.

"Oh, Bella you look radiant!" my mother said cheerfully as she saw me walk into the room.

"Mother, don't you think that's a little cliché?" I said with a laugh as I sat down on the bed beside her, my best friends and my future mother-in-law. I touched the bracelet as I thought of her, and saw brief glimpses of the life Edward and I would have together. I smiled to myself as Rose's voice broke me from my daydreams.

"She can be cliché today, Bella. You're getting married, the whole thing is a bit cliché, don't you think?" Rose asked as I mock punched her in the shoulder and we all laughed.

"Okay, Bella. It's time to start getting you pretty," Alice said as our laughter died down. I groaned and wondered what they would be subjecting my body to for the next eight hours.

"Fine. Bring on the torture."

For the first three hours, every limb of my body was being pulled at some point or another. Once Alice and Rosalie had finally finished my hair, they all made me eat quickly, for fear of me passing out or something. I was way too nervous to even be hungry, really, but I reluctantly obliged since no one would let me out of their sight until they saw me eat. I eventually forced down a small salad as Alice stared at me like she was going to try and knock me down with telekinesis.

By the time the force feeding debacle was finally over with, it was time for Alice to pin my hair up and fix my makeup. Once that was done, I could barely feel my face, but I had to admit that I did look good. I barely recognized myself as I looked in the mirror. My hair was pinned back behind my ears while the rest of it drifted down my back in long curls. I felt like I had just stepped out of some classic movie from the forties.

I unzipped my hoodie and peeled my shorts off before Alice and my mother slid me into my dress. They pinned it together in the back just as my father appeared in the doorway. He smiled at the sight of me, his only daughter, about to walk down the aisle. I could hardly believe it myself, but as long as it was Edward standing at the other end of that aisle, I could care less about the rest. He would be all I focused on as I walked arm in arm with my father through the patch of grass, down to the small wedding arch. The man standing in front of it was my life.

"You look beautiful, Bells," Charlie told me after a few moments of silence. He and my mother had been staring at each other, no doubt remembering together their own wedding day. I hoped that in twenty-five years, Edward and I would be able to look at each other that way and be able to remember our wedding so fondly. I had faith that we would be.

My heart swelled at his words, and for a moment I was speechless. I had to hold back the tears as my father looked at me with such… admiration and love. He looked so proud of me, and I wasn't exactly sure why pride was the emotion that stood out so prominently in his expression, but it brought forth so much emotion in me that I could barely contain it.

"Thanks, Dad," I finally said softly.

"I'm proud of you, you know," my dad said. My brow furrowed at his statement and I gave him a questioning look, imploring him to continue.

"Why's that?" I finally asked, since my father wasn't the most attentive man and couldn't guess what I was thinking just by looking at me, unlike Renee who could read me like a book.

"For… for never letting what Jacob did to you bring you down completely. For building yourself a life, and allowing Edward to be apart of it. That took some courage to do, kiddo. That's why I'm proud of you," he finished as a singe tear fell down my cheek, as I was unable to contain it that time. I made one long stride towards him, nearly tripping over my dress in the process, and gave my father the biggest hug I'd ever given him. I had no idea that he felt that way.

"I love you, Dad," I mumbled against his chest.

"Love you, too, Bella."

It was only a few minutes later that my mother was bidding us goodbye as she headed to her seat outside and Charlie and I were standing by the door, ready to make our way down the aisle. We watched intently as Alice and Rosalie walked across the grass gracefully. My heart started pounding against my chest as a sense of nervousness suddenly came over me. I was afraid, not of what I was about to do, but about something stupid, of course. I was afraid of falling on my ass in front of everyone I knew. Leave it up to me to be nervous about falling down as I walked down the aisle on my wedding day. I took a deep breath and leaned over to whisper in Charlie's ear.

"Do me a favor?" I said softly. He nodded slightly and I continued. "Don't let me fall."

"Ditto."

I smiled at my father's use of the word 'ditto' and turned my head to face forward as a instrumental rendition of 'Someone to Watch Over Me' started playing outside. Edward had made the suggestion that I walk down the aisle to the first song we had danced to after we had gotten engaged. I agreed that it was the perfect idea, since I never really saw myself walking down the aisle to the Wedding March, anyway.

We stepped outside and a smile took over my face completely the moment I saw him. Edward was standing in front of the wedding arch, looking at me with what I could only call love. He looked as if he was seeing me for the first time, and I imagined that if I could see my own reflection, it would look similar. My eyes were trained on his and he gave a small smile and I saw him mouth 'I love you' slowly, which made me blush the same color as the flowers I was clutching nervously. People always joked that walking down the aisle was like being led off to the slaughter, but I knew it would never feel like that for Edward and I. We were meant to be together and I was ready to start the next chapter of my life with him at my side, ready to take my hand and walk through it with me.

**EPOV**

I looked up as soon as people began to stand up from their seats. The sight of Bella walking towards me knocked the breath out of me. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on, and I couldn't believe that in just a few minutes, she would be my wife. I didn't think that it would ever seem real until it became true and our vows were said. I knew, we both knew, that we were committed to each other forever, but to be able to call her my wife, my ring on her finger for the whole world to see, made our dedication to each other that much more real.

It felt like an eternity until Bella was standing at my side, I barely noticed Charlie's presence as he took his daughter's hand and placed it in mine, where it fit perfectly. I smiled as I looked into her glimmering brown eyes, and I saw the love reflecting back at me through them. I was sure that my own eyes would be showing the same amount of love that I was seeing shine through Bella's.

"Hi," I mouthed to her as she smiled and we faced Mr. Weber. She mouthed 'hi' back to be, but we never broke eye contact. Anyone who saw us from behind would think we were looking straight at Mr. Weber, but in truth we were both staring into each other's eyes. The only thing that made me tear my eyes away from Bella was Mr. Weber clearing his throat as he said something. I smiled at him in a silent apology before he told me to repeat after him and handed me Bella's wedding band. I turned to face her and I saw tears glistening in her eyes.

"I Edward, choose you Bella as my best friend, my lover for life. To live with you and laugh with you; to stand by your side and sleep in your arms; to be the best I can be for you and to bring out the best in you always. I promise to laugh with you in good times and to kiss your tears away in bad times, to comfort you with my body and mirror your devotion with mine. I promise to lend you strength for all of your dreams. You have shown me what love feels like and you are the only one I will ever share it with." I took the ring from Mr. Weber and took Bella's left hand in both of mine and placed the ring on her finger. "Your arms are my shelter and your heart is my home."

I watched her smiling at me when the ring was finally on her finger, where it would stay forever. She took my hands and repeated the words I'd just said to her. "I Bella, choose you Edward as my best friend, my lover for life. To live with you and laugh with you; to stand by your side and sleep in your arms; to be the best I can be for you and to bring out the best in you always. I promise to laugh with you in good times and to kiss your tears away in bad times, to comfort you with my body and mirror your devotion with mine. I promise to lend you strength for all of your dreams. You have shown me what love feels like and you are the only one I will ever share it with." As she placed the ring at the tip of my finger, my smile mirrored hers, the edges of my mouth aching, but I didn't care. "Your arms are my shelter and your heart is my home." She said as she slid the ring onto my finger.

As I looked into her eyes, I saw laughter, love and comfort, but most of all, I saw home. Without permission from Mr. Weber I grabbed the back of her head as soon as she released my left hand from hers, and I kissed her with all the most passion and love and adoration I could muster. This beautiful woman was mine and I was hers. Forever.

I pulled back from Bella and her face was plastered with a mixture of shock and bliss. I think somewhere in the background I heard Mr. Weber announce us as husband and wife, but honestly I wasn't really paying him any attention. I was focusing all my attention on my new wife. I grabbed her and we turned to walk up the aisle as all of our family and friends clapped their hands around us.

Once we were alone inside, I got in front of Bella and made a beeline for the stairs. I knew that we'd only have a few minutes alone together before we needed to take pictures, so I wanted to make sure we didn't have any interruptions. I opened the nearest door, leading both of us inside and closing it behind us quickly. I turned towards Bella, her face almost glowing with what I recognized as the same happiness I was feeling.

"I love you, Mrs. Cullen," I said hurriedly before leaning in and kissing her again. I wrapped my arms around her and Bella did the same, kissing me back forcefully. I felt my cock growing hard and I couldn't wait to get the gown off her, as gorgeous as she looked in it, I knew what was underneath was better.

"I love you, too, Mr. Cullen," Bella breathed as soon as we broke apart. I leaned down again, pressing my forehead to hers. "I'm so happy. Only you could make me this happy."

My lips were on hers the moment she spoke those words. All I wanted out of life was to make her happy, and to know that I truly did make her the happiest she had ever been, the feeling it gave me was amazing. My lips traveled along her jaw, down her neck and across her chest, just wishing and aching for more. I knew that we would have to be back outside for pictures soon, and I would rather have stopped before anyone had the chance to interrupt us. Especially if that someone was Alice, again.

"You make me happy, too, Bella. We should go back out there so we can take pictures. The sooner we're done with that, the earlier we can celebrate with our family and then once that is over with, we can celebrate the way I want to," I told her honestly as my hand snaked across her ass over the material of her dress. I squeezed her ass tightly as Bella let out a low moan and kissed me quickly once again.

Bella and I eventually made it back downstairs, and this time I was truly able to appreciate my surroundings. There was a good amount of sun in the sky today, so the sunset was absolutely beautiful. The photographer was setting up when we got outside, and the DJ was setting up his equipment, with a tent of course, since we were in Washington after all.

We took pictures with the wedding party, with just Bella and I with our parents, a lot of just Bella and me alone, and some of the two of us by ourselves. Once we were finished, the photographer began reviewing some of the pictures he took, because he was going to put some of them on display at the reception.

Our family and friends congratulated us, wished us luck and hugged and kissed us. Both Bella and I were glad when that part was over, not that we didn't appreciate every single wish of happiness and love; it was all just so overwhelming. Plus, some of the older women in Bella's family took a liking to hugging more of me than I would have liked.

Her aunt Gladis groped my ass as I was hugging her after she gave us her best wishes, and her great aunt Mildred tried to slip me some tongue along with her congratulatory kiss. I gave Bella an evil look a couple of times when I caught her giggling as she saw what was going on.

We mingled for a bit before sitting down for dinner, which Bella and I barely touched because we were both too excited. When it was time for the toasts, everyone sat quietly as both Alice and Emmett made their speeches. Alice was first, and it was more than I had expected from her, to be honest. Her speech made her love for Bella obvious, and it made me love her even more for all the compassion she had for Bella, and for me apparently.

"As most of you know, I am Bella's best friend, I've been her best friend ever since I can remember, and with that title comes a certain kind of love. It's not quite sisterly, and not quite friendly, it's like a perfect middle. We look out for each other and we always speak our minds. Right now the thing that is on my mind is the love that you two show each other. Edward, I never thought that I would see such a smile as the one I see on Bella's face everyday, the very smile I can clearly see right this very moment. You're the best thing that could have ever happened to her, and I knew from the moment I first saw the two of you together, that you could be the one to bring her all of the happiness and love that is glowing from her tonight. I want to thank you for that. To Bella and Edward, I wish you two the joyous, exciting future that you both deserve. I love you guys."

Bella and I both stood to hug Alice, a few stray tears slipping down Bella's cheeks. I thanked Alice and let her know that her speech meant more to me than she could have imagined, because knowing that she thanked me for making Bella happy, made me almost as ecstatic as knowing that I _was_ the one who made Bella happy. When it was Emmett's turn to make his speech, Bella and I looked at each other and smiled, because we really did not know what to expect from him.

Emmett, to say the least, surprised us by quoting Morrie Schwartz, an author and the subject of the book 'Tuesdays with Morrie.'

"As Morrie Schwartz said, 'The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in," he began, shocking us all. I knew that my brother wasn't stupid by any means, but it meant so much to me that he put this much thought into his speech. "When I found that quote online, as my wife, Rosalie, suggested, I knew immediately that it was the perfect quote to describe my little brother and his new wife. See, it was easy to see when these two crazy kids first got together, that my brother had a bit of a hard time learning how to love Bells over there," he continued, gesturing to Bella with his head. "It was also easy to see that she had a bit of a rough time learning how to let Edward love her. But they did it, and ever since they've realized what they are to each other, they have overcome everything that life has thrown at them, and I know that they will continue to shock the hell out of us all and keep conquering every challenge that they face. To Edward and Bella, may you be happy, so I can finally eat cake," Emmett finished, raising his glass as everyone began laughing, including Bella and I. We stood once again, Bella being lifted off the ground as she hugged Emmett, crying once again.

"Thanks, bro," I said as I gave Emmett a hug and he patted me on the back.

"No need to thank me, just feed me, little bro," he said. Bella and I finally got to have our first dance as husband and wife, before we cut the cake, unfortunately for Emmett.

We danced to 'Come Away With Me' by Norah Jones, having picked it out one day as it came on the iPod while we were in the car. I hummed the melody of the song in Bella's ear as we swayed contentedly together, almost forgetting that we were in the presence of everyone we knew. In fact, that was how it was for most of the night. If I hadn't had Bella's face memorized by then, I definitely would have by the end of our wedding. I hardly took my eyes off of her, even when we were dancing and mingling with other people.

We cut our cake and laughed as Emmett made sure he was the first one, besides the two of us, to get a piece of it. I managed to get a dab of icing on Bella's nose before she gave me the look that said 'go any further and I may just withhold the sex tonight.' There was no way I was risking it, even though I was 99% sure it would never happen, anyway, so I quit while I was ahead and we had cake and spent the rest of the night with our family and friends.

Once the reception was finally over, much to my delight, Bella and I bid our guests goodnight and slipped into the single bedroom on the third floor. It was complete with an ensuite bathroom, so we had no reason to leave the third floor for the night. I was eager to get Bella's wedding dress off of her as soon as we were alone, but thanks to my unknowing self, I was unable to get her out of it without becoming frustrated, so I let her into the bathroom so she could do it herself, because apparently it was better that way.

When Bella finally emerged from the bathroom, I understood why she had wanted to be alone. She was wearing a completely see through lace nightgown that came to just above her knees, with a nearly see through top that was teasing me with an partial view of her breasts.

"Wow," was all I could manage to say at the moment, as a smile and a slight blush crept across Bella's face. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Edward," she told me as she closed the distance between us, slowly, and stood on her toes to kiss me. I wrapped my arms around her and lifted her up off the floor. "Forever."

We undressed each other slowly, kissing every inch of exposed skin as we went. I unclipped Bella's hair before slipping inside of her, kissing her passionately, hovering above her as I rocked us back and forth on the bed. We didn't need to speak. The only sounds in the room were ones of pleasure, our soft moans and occasional whispers of love. I kissed her neck, her breasts, her arms, her wrists, and she did the same to me. It was the slowest that we had ever made love, and definitely the most memorable. We both came together in silence, our kisses muffling our sounds of pure bliss.

I pulled Bella back into my chest. "Goodnight, Mrs. Cullen. I love you."

"Goodnight, Mr. Cullen. I love you, too."

**Like it? Hate it?**

**Unless you have me on author alert, you probably missed my entry for the 'Who's Under Your Tree Contest' called 'Meet Me Under the Christmas Tree.' It was an outtake from this story, of Bella and Edward's first Christmas ;)**

**The link to Bella's dress and the wedding location are all on my profile :)**

**The next chapter will be the epilogue and it definitely will not take as long as this chapter to write, so I will see all of you soon!**

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	29. Epilogue

**Here it is, the Epilogue. I want to thank each and every one of you for supporting me through writing my first story. Especially to coldplaywhore, who talked me through my chapters countless times, and has been an amazing beta. You rock bb!!**

**I also want to thanks all of my friends, who constantly yelled at me and asked when I was going to finish this. Well guys *cough* Megan and Janee *cough* here it is. **

**Now, have no fear, you have not heard the last of me. I don't have any immediate plans for another story on my own, but if you haven't already, go check out my collaboration with coldplaywhore called 'Maybe I'm Falling For You.' For those of you who are already reading it, that story should be updated more frequently now that this is completed. I hope you all enjoyed this ride with me! Thank you to all of my readers again, I love you all!!**

**Also follow me on twitter and check out my new blog, the links to both of those are on my profile :)**

**I don't own Twilight, but I do have a lot of laundry and other crap to do before I go back to school on Sunday.**

**6 Years Later**

**BPOV**

"I lub u Da-Da," I heard a small, sweet voice that I would know anywhere, call out from behind me. I looked and saw Edward's eyes, which were widened in shock, staring past me. I whipped my head around and saw our son sitting behind us, playing with his favorite stuffed bear.

"What did he just say?" I asked Edward a moment later. The only other things we'd ever heard our son say were single words like 'da-da' and 'momma' or 'hopital.' Edward and I both walked hastily over to where he was playing on the floor.

"Nate, honey? What did you just say? You love Da-Da?" I asked, eager to hear him say it again. Nate smiled at the both of us as I sat down on the floor and pulled him into my lap, with Edward sitting next to us. Nate flailed his arms with the teddy bear still in his hands, letting out the cutest laugh as he nearly whacked me in the head. Edward just sat there with a smile plastered on his face.

"Da-Da. I lub Da-Da," Nate said again. I smiled at him once more and turned to Edward, who leaned forward and kissed our son's head before sitting back up and kissing my lips sweetly. I looked into his eyes and saw the most happiness that had been there since Nate was born.

"Happy Birthday, Da-Da," I said as I laughed happily, thinking I couldn't have thought of a better present to give Edward on his birthday. Not that I planned for our son to speak his first sentence today, but it was definitely the best gift he could have gotten. Both Edward and Nate joined me in laughter a moment later as I remembered all that Edward and I had been through.

A year after we were married, Edward finished his residency and was offered a permanent position at Northwest Hospital. He accepted, of course, and we were both completely blissful when his hours became more regular, manageable and predictable. We eventually moved out of our apartment and moved into a small house just outside of Seattle. It was absolutely perfect for us.

I was still teaching at Franklin High School, and I had received tenure there almost two years ago, just before I found out that I was pregnant. I remembered what an exciting time that was for both Edward and I.

"_Oh my god," I breathed as I looked down at the positive pregnancy test in my hand that I had been staring at for the last five minutes. I couldn't believe that I was actually pregnant. Edward and I had been trying to conceive for almost a year and it was finally happening. Of course I wanted to be sure, so I wrapped the test up in tissue, disposing of all other evidence and threw it in the trashcan._

_I called my doctor and made an appointment for the next day, which also happened to be my birthday, and convinced him to try and fit me in. I tried to play it cool when Edward got home later that night, but of course he knew something was up. I told him it was nothing, and he looked at me skeptically before nodding and letting it go. He knew that I would tell him whatever it was when I was ready._

_I went to the doctor after school let out, and he confirmed my belief that I was pregnant. My heart swelled in my chest when he told me I was only six weeks along, and that the baby was due to arrive on May 23__rd__. I went home, completely blissful, but also panicked, because I had no idea how to tell Edward. I knew he would be thrilled regardless, but I didn't want to just blurt it out like an idiot. On my way home, I stopped at Target and found a cute little pair of white baby booties. I also picked up some wrapping paper and a box, deciding to give them to Edward as a present. I knew it would throw him off, since it was my birthday and I would be the one giving him a present. _

_As I wrapped up the booties, I found myself smiling and imagining our child wearing them. I couldn't help but wonder whether or not we would have a boy or a girl, but mostly all I wanted was a healthy baby. Edward was taking me out to dinner, of course, even though I tried to get him to just stay home and relax._

_I decided to wait until after dinner to tell Edward that we were pregnant, only because I knew he wanted to do something special for me, so I wanted to save the real excitement for later. Edward got home just before six, in just enough time to get ready._

_I put on the black dress that Alice had made for me just for the occasion. She'd graduated school in Seattle and started her own designing business. Of course being her best friend, I never even had to ask for any of her designs, Alice just sort of… threw them my way. I paired the dress with a simple pair of black heels. "Hello, beautiful," he said before kissing me softly. I smiled back at him and told him to hurry up and get ready before we were late. Surprisingly, I wasn't at all nervous about telling Edward because I knew how much he wanted us to have a baby. _

_We arrived at a nice Italian restaurant that we had gone to before, it wasn't over the top, but it was still fancy. The food was amazing though, but I fidgeted in my seat all through dinner, anxious to get home so I could finally tell Edward he was going to be a daddy. Couldn't he be a normal man for once and forget his wife's birthday so I could have some peace?_

"_Okay, present time," Edward announced after we ordered dessert. I smiled in an effort to appease him, knowing that he probably went and got me something expensive that I didn't need. He pulled out a little blue box from his jacket pocket and I gasped when I saw it, although I don't know why, I shouldn't have been surprised._

"_Thank you," I said quietly when he handed it to me. I untied the white bow that was around the box and my eyes widened when I saw the small bracelet that rested inside. It was engraved with 'Let me count the ways' on the outside. It was perfect. "It's beautiful," I said honestly as I looked up at Edward, who was smiling back at me. I slipped the bracelet on my wrist and admired it for a moment. "I love you."_

"_I love you, too, Bella. Let me count the ways," he said as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine softly, but passionately. He pulled away and a few moments later our dessert came. We ate quickly, because I honestly could not wait to get home and just tell him._

"_Okay, okay. I'm in, what's the hurry?" Edward laughed as I dragged him inside the house and up the stairs. I laughed to myself, because he was probably turned on and thinking he would be getting some once we were upstairs in our bedroom. Then again, he probably would be getting some if he took the news as well as I hoped he would._

"_You'll see," I said as I led him into our room and picked up the box with the booties inside that I'd put on the bed before we left. "Here." I handed him the wrapped box and Edward looked down at it with a puzzled expression, and then looked back up at me like I held the secrets to world peace. "Open it."_

"_Isn't it _your_ birthday?" he asked. I laughed and shook the box in front of him, gesturing for him to please take it from me. My heart started to pound in excitement as he took the box from me and began unwrapping it. "Okay… whatever you say," he said jokingly._

_He opened the box and pulled the booties out, another mystified expression on his face. Then, all of a sudden, understanding flooded his features. "Oh my god… are you…?" he trailed off, clearly not able to for a coherent sentence. I nodded at Edward's smile grew exponentially bigger. "We're having a baby?"_

"_Yup. You knocked me up, there's a bun in the oven. We're preggers, honey," I said in a babbling attempt to be funny. Edward just bent down and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me up from the ground and spinning us around. _

"_I love you so much, baby," Edward murmured into my neck before finally setting me back down and looking into my eyes. "I love you, too, Bella."_

Seven months and nine days later, Nathan Charles Cullen was born. The sunshine of my life.

**EPOV**

"What did he just say?" Bella asked, whipping her head around to face Nate. We'd both just heard our son mutter something that sounded impossibly like 'I love Da-Da.' Bella and I had been in the middle of discussing our plans for the night, because Jasper and Alice were insisting on getting us a babysitter so they could take Bella and I out for my birthday. Not that anything could make this day any better than my son had just made it. My head snapped up to look over on the floor where he was playing, and I just stood there gaping at him.

"Nate, honey? What did you just say? You love Da-Da?" Bella questioned sweetly, apparently excited to hear him say it once more. We both walked over to Nate and sat down on the floor beside him, waiting and listening more intently than I can remember listening for anything.

"Da-Da. I lub Da-Da," my son shouted happily again. A cheek aching smile spread across my face, and I couldn't even speak. Bella picked Nate up and sat him on her lap, wrapping her arms around his little torso. I leaned over and kissed his forehead and then my lips found Bella's, I kissed her sweetly, because she was the one who had brought Nate into the world.

"Happy Birthday, Da-Da," Bella said contentedly, as I remembered the day our son was born.

"_John? Peter? Paul? Noah?" I asked as Bella sat on the couch with her feet on my lap, reading the baby name book for the thousandth time. She looked at me with a scowl on her face as I spat out the first boy names I could think of._

"_What, did you just take a walk through the bible or something?" she asked angrily. I knew she was getting frustrated, trying to figure out a name for our child, who we still didn't know the sex of. We'd decided early on that we wanted it to be a surprise, but I think in hindsight, Bella would have wanted to find out because picking two names we both liked was way more stressful that it seemed._

"_No, Bella I'm just trying to help because I know you're starting to get frustrated since the baby is coming soon," I said as I moved my hand over Bella's stomach which she was currently resting the book on. I leaned forward and placed a small kiss next to the spot my hand rested before leaning up and giving her a soft kiss on the lips in an attempt to soothe her._

"_I know, and I shouldn't be this stressed over a name. I just want our baby to be healthy," she said as she placed her hand on her stomach, on top of mine. We smiled at each other for a few moments before Bella turned her attention back to the baby book. I got up off the couch for a moment and got my iPod and headphones. I selected some Frank Sinatra tunes and placed the giant headphones over Bella's stomach._

"_That better not be the Journey's Greatest Hits CD again," Bella chastised as soon as I made sure the headphones wouldn't slip off her stomach._

"_No, baby. I put on some Blue Eyes for the kid," I said with a chuckle. "Our kid's gotta be eclectic." Bella just rolled her eyes, but I knew she loved the fact that I always played music for our baby._

"_What about Kevin for a boy?" Bella suggested. I thought for a moment and debated whether or not to make a joke out of it. I decided Bella definitely needed a good laugh._

"_Or how about Jim? Michael? Ryan? Dwight? Andy?" I suggested mockingly. Bella stared at me with an expression somewhere between amusement and anger on her face. I opened my mouth to make one more suggestion before she cut me off._

"_Don't even THINK about saying Nard Dawg, Edward Cullen," she shouted as she held her hand up in the air, gesturing for me to stop. I laughed at her abrasiveness. _

"_Sorry, I couldn't help it. Plus, if we have a Nard Dawg, at least we know he'll go to Cornell and end up in an all men acapella group." _

"_Oh yeah, sure. 'Guess what, Mom? I just joined a singing group called 'Here Comes Treble.'" Bella said with a laugh, me joining her seconds later. It was amazing how our discussion of baby names had turned into a session of 'The Office' references. Bella looked at me for a moment, as if she were deciding something._

"_What about… Pam? Kelly? Angela? Phyllis?" Bella said, tears falling from her face from her laughter. I laughed along with her, just glad that I was able to make her forget the stress of picking baby names._

"_Sure, and we can sit back and watch as she gets cat after cat, and her crazy boyfriend kills one and stuffs it in her freezer," I said as we both burst out into laughter._

_We both composed ourselves and Bella glanced down and the book once more, the cringe in the pit of my stomach returning at the thought of the name she would say next. I quickly search my mind for more television show references when I was interrupted by Bella's voice._

"_What about Nathan for a boy?"_

"_Hmmm… you sure seem stuck on all these boy names, baby," I said with a smirk. The only girl's names she had suggested thus far were jokes._

"_Yeah, well color me psychic, but I just have a feeling that I should be paying more attention to the boy's names," she said with a blush. "We could call him Nate."_

_Nate. I actually liked the sound of that._

"_Okay, baby. Nate it is," I said as I leaned over and kissed Bella again. She began to deepen the kiss, which both excited and disappointed me, because I knew we couldn't go any farther than kissing and I didn't want to get the boys all worked up for nothing._

_I placed my hand on Bella's cheek and continued to kiss her passionately, when all of a sudden, something wet flooded between us._

"_Holy shit!" Bella shouted as we both looked down and saw the wetness in between us. "Edward… I think my water just broke."_

"_Oh my god… I'll, uh… I'll go get the baby bag," I said as I flew off the couch and went into the closet looking for the bag that we'd packed about a month ago. I found it and ran back into the living room, where I caught Bella trying to get up off the couch._

"_Careful, baby. Here, lean on me, I'll help you get to the car," I said as I held out my arm for her to support herself as I walked as fast and as carefully as I could manage. We got in the car and everything from there was a blur. I looked over at Bella as I drove, and her forehead was now beading with sweat and she was clutching the console of the Volvo. "We're almost there, Bella. Are the contractions close?"_

"_I don't know! Not really, it just hurts!" she shouted at me. I focused on the road and quickly parked the car in the parking lot. Bella and I waddled into the Emergency Room doors and they came with a wheelchair as fast as they could, before wheeling her away somewhere she could lay down._

_I quickly pulled my cell phone from my pocket and began calling people, my parents, Bella's parents, Em and Rose, Alice and Jasper. A nurse came back out and told me that Bella was ready for me now. Our parents were on their way, but all I could focus was my heart that felt as if it was going to jump out of my chest. I followed the nurse and walked into the room where Bella was being examined._

"_Hey, baby," I said as I grabbed her hand and kissed her forehead, wiping her hair from her face. "You're doing so good."_

"_I love you, Edward."_

"_I love you, too, Bella."_

_Twelve hours later, our parents and all of our friends were in the waiting room as they told Bella she was ready to start pushing. I stood beside Bella and almost lost it as it dawned on me that Bella and I were having a baby. I was going to be a father. It wasn't as if this was news to me, but something about it seemed so much more real now that it was about to happen. I stared at Bella; she was lying on the bed, her face stuck t her hair from sweat and her chest was heaving up and down as she breathed heavily. I took a deep breath and snapped out of it, knowing that I had to here there and comfort her. I let her squeeze the life from my hand as she screamed and cursed and told me that I would be lucky if she ever let me touch her again. I laughed and kept telling her what a good job she was doing. A few minutes later our son was born._

"_It's a boy," the doctor said. I smiled and looked at my wife lovingly, amazed at how right she had been. "All ten fingers and toes, too."_

"_Did you hear that, Bella? Nate's healthy," I said before I kissed her forehead and she smiled as they put our son in her arms. He grabbed onto her finger as we both looked down at him in awe._

"_Nathan Charles," Bella muttered. I smiled, knowing that she'd wanted her father's name as our son's middle name. I nodded and told her it was perfect._

"_Nathan Charles Cullen."_

"Edward?" Bella asked, waving her hand in front of my face as she bounced Nate up and down.

"Sorry, baby. I must have gotten distracted," I told her with a smile. She looked at me quizzically and continued with that she had been saying.

"Alice wants to know if we want to go to dinner with her, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie," she asked. I nodded my head.

"Can you mother watch Nate?" I asked as I got up and started for the bathroom so I could take a shower.

"Yeah, she's already on her way." Bella dressed in a plain black dress, that was so simple, but she looked absolutely gorgeous in it. I threw on a dress shirt and slacks and we headed out the door once Renee got there and she almost had to shove our asses out of the house.

"Have I mentioned that you look beautiful?" I asked Bella once we got in the car.

"Not tonight," she replied sheepishly. I planned on making her feel even more beautiful once we were done with dinner.

Bella and I went out with our friends that night, for what had to be one of only four times since we'd had Nate. Then again, it wasn't as if we were missing many outings, Alice and Jasper had had their twins Emma and Matthew only a year before we had Nate, and Emmett and Rosalie had little Nick and Sophie, who were three and four already.

Once we walked back into our house and said goodbye to Renee, we walked into Nate's room to check on him. I placed a kiss on Bella's shoulder as we watched our son sleep, and soon my lips were moving sensually up her neck and across her collarbones. My lips captured hers in a fervent kiss, and she responded with as much enthusiasm as I'd hoped.

"Bella," I whispered against her mouth. I began backing us out of our son's room so we could make it to our own, quietly. "I need you, baby."

"I need you, too," she said breathily. We hadn't had sex in a week and I was desperate for her, and I was ecstatic that she seemed just as desperate for me. We found our way to the bedroom and I turned around and moved toward the bed, laying Bella down carefully once the back of her knees hit the edge.

I reached down for the hem of her dress and moved my hands up her thighs, pushing the fabric up as I slid my hands up her body. I kissed her lips and her neck, my lips moving down in a wet trail towards her breasts, which were peeking out of her dress with each rise and fall of her chest. I found the zipper on the side of her dress and slowly slid it down, trying to savor the moment, but knowing that we could be interrupted by the cry of our son at any moment. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I sat up and brought Bella up with me, grabbing her torso and taking the dress off her, nearly ripping it in the process.

"In some sort of hurry?" she asked huskily once the dress was off. I stared at her breasts for a moment, which were covered by a gorgeous blue bra that matched the lace panties she was wearing.

"I told you I needed you, Bella," I said, and her face was overcome with understanding as she looked at me for a moment. I kissed her again, as her hands reached for the buttons on my shirt, pulling at them frantically. Once they were undone, she pushed the shirt off my shoulders and began placing sensual kisses along my chest. She reached for the button on my pants and unfastened it at the same time I unclasped her bra.

I pulled the bra from Bella's arms and tossed it across the room, hearing it hit the wall in the back of my mind, but only concentrating on my wife, who sat half naked in front of me. I stood up and took my pants and boxers off at once, sitting back down on the bed, grasping Bella's panties and pulling them off in one swift movement.

I wanted nothing more than to worship her in that one moment, but need clouded over that feeling. We rarely got the chance to be spontaneous like this, and I was not about to risk it and let the opportunity potentially pass us by. I settled between her legs and was sheathed inside of my wife within second, both of us moaning at the sensation.

"I love you," I said as I stilled for a moment and brushed the hair from Bella's face. I may not have been able to worship her like I wanted to, like she deserved, but I was damn sure always going to tell her that I loved her.

"I love you, Edward," she whispered as she thrust her small hips up to meet mine. I began moving quickly inside of her tightness. Even after almost eight years together, there was nothing better than being inside of Bella. I moved with a fast pace for a few minutes, eager to drive Bella over the edge. Eventually I pulled out and watched as Bella looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"Turn over on your side," I told her. She did as I requested and I got behind her, lining myself up and pushing myself inside of her again from behind. I began kissing her neck and teasing one of her breasts in my hand before my hand traveled down to her clit, where I surprisingly found Bella's hand. "That's so fucking sexy. You're still so damn sexy," I murmured into her neck and my hand joined hers, rubbing her clit feverishly. Bella moaned, and I wasn't sure if it was because of my words or the feeling of our hands rubbing together, but I didn't really care at the moment.

A few seconds later, I felt Bella's body still beside mine before she began convulsing around me. I kept moving against her, and with only a few more thrusts, I was spilling inside of her. I slowed my movements as our orgasms subsided and placed a small kiss on Bella's shoulder before I pulled out. We both rolled onto our backs and Bella wrapped her arms around me.

"Wow," she said after a few minutes.

"Wow… I think that's an understatement, Bella," I said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I think you're right," she laughed. She was quiet after that and I wondered what she was thinking about, since her breathing hadn't evened out yet, I knew she hadn't fallen asleep.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked as I traced my fingertips up and down her arm.

"The day we first met. Did you ever think that after that day, when you forgot your cell phone at the pizzeria that we'd end up married?" she asked as I squeezed her to me tightly.

"No, I really didn't. I sure as hell hoped that I would get to see you again, though," I told her honestly, as I kissed her neck tenderly. "The day you saved my life… I knew then that you were the only one that was worth spending it with."


	30. STWOM Nominated for an Indie

Okay, so Someone to Watch Over me has been nominated for the Indie Twific Awards for Best All Human Story That Knocks you Off Your Feet. I am completely stunned and greatful to whoever nominated this little story, it means a lot to me.

I'd also like to thank every one of you who has read this story, you guys are fucking amazing!

Voting has already begun, so head on over tothe Awards page here http://theindietwificawards(.)com/vote(.)aspxand vote! I've also posted a link to vote on my profile page. I'm so honored to have been nominated, so thank you!


	31. Indie Second Round

Someone to Watch Over Me made it to the second round of voting over at the Indie Twific Awards! Have I mentioned that I love my readers? Because I do. Like, a lot.

Thank you again to whoever nominated this little gem, and of course to everyone who voted in the first round to keep my story in the running.

You can go and vote here: http://www(.)theindietwificawards(.)com/voteround2(.)aspx

I've also posted this link to my profile page, and I'm still stunned and greatful. Love you guys!


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